The First Taste
by Trees R Pretty
Summary: Sam and Dean struggle as their desire for one another gets stronger while they continue to hunt evil. In the end, true love always prevails. Spoilers through Season 4. Wincest slash. NO Sam/Ruby sex happened or ever happens.
1. The First Taste

Chapter 1: The First Taste

* * *

Thunder rumbled in the dark sky and the rain was coming down heavy outside. Dean could hear the drops pattering against the window of the motel room. He stood up and walked over to it. He raised his hand slowly and pushed back the curtain. Hazel eyes searched the parking lot for the Impala.

Sam had left earlier in the night while Dean was sleeping and took the car, which Dean wasn't too happy about. He trusted his younger brother but that Impala was his baby. He let Sam drive it but he wanted to be around when he was. But other things had happened this last week night that distracted his mindset. Major things, bad things.

Five days had passed since Dean woke up in a pine box and clawed his way out of his own grave through six feet of dirt. He could still feel the cold dirt in his mouth and nostrils, nearly suffocating him. Dean refused to give up though. He made it to the top and his hands felt open air. He gasped for breath as he pulled himself out of the hole.

With those horrific memories still fresh in his mind Dean had tried to maintain himself. He, Sam and Bobby went looking for answers. For just what it was that pulled Dean out of hell. And a few nights ago, Dean found out.

Castiel, an angel, a warrior of the Lord, or so he claimed told Dean that he was the one that snatched his soul. Castiel said it was God's will, that the almighty Holy one has plans for Dean. Dean didn't know what the hell to make of it.

Once he got back to the motel, Sam was there. His brother was laying on his bed as the dim glow of the television illuminated the room. Dean told Sam everything that had happened. Several arguments stemmed from that. Sam wanted to believe that Castiel really was an angel and that Dean served some holy purpose for the world but Dean couldn't believe it. It made no sense. If there was even a God, why would he care about him? He was nobody, yeah maybe he's saved some people but that didn't make him a saint. Dean had no hope in himself, he didn't deserve it.

Dean let go of the curtain and turned away from the window. He looked at his watch, it was a little past 2 am and still no Sam. Where could he have gone? This was the second time since Dean's come back from the dead that Sam has gone out in the middle of the night with the Impala.

He sat down on one of the beds and fiddled with the silver ring on his finger. He would have tried to call Sammy's cell but he noticed that Sam had left it behind. It was sitting on the desk along with one of his coats.

Dean blinked slowly as the sleep stinged at his eyes. But he couldn't go to bed yet, not until Sam returned. He reached for the remote and flipped the TV on.

--

The familiar rumble of the Impala approached, Sam turned into the lot and pulled into the parking space outside of their motel room. He saw the light was on and that meant Dean was up. Sam killed the engine and took a deep breath. He hoped Dean didn't suspect anything. About why he left and what he was doing.

Sam sighed, he couldn't tell Dean yet that he's been meeting with Ruby so he could learn more about the powers that he possessed. Dean wouldn't understand. And with this news about an angel, of all things, that was what yanked Dean from Hell made the situation even more difficult. How would his brother understand?

As the rain fell down on the windshield Sam leaned his head back against the seat rest. Despite that, he was ecstatic to have his brother back. Sam had been so lost without him. There were times during the last four months where Sam just wanted to die. He had hit rock bottom and the void that Dean had left in him was as hollow as his soul. Sam tried everything he could to get Dean back. He went to the Devil's gate in Wyoming and tried to open it. He traveled to Mississippi and tried to bargain a deal out of the Crossroads demon but the thing wouldn't budge. Nothing worked, everything Sam did out of complete desperation hit a dead end.

The closest Sam ever came to ending it all was on a night two months ago. He'd been investigating a lead on Lilith in Philadelphia. He'd gotten there too late though. Lilith was already gone and left a trail of bodies behind as her mark. Out of grief and failure to save those people and Dean, Sam pulled into an abandoned parking lot. He opened the glove compartment and took out one of his guns, a silver 9mm Glock. He loaded in the clip and his hand shook as he raised the gun to his head. His finger was steady on the trigger. Sam closed his eyes as a tear ran down his cheek. He wanted to do it. His pain would be over with just one shot. That was until he heard Dean's voice in his head.

_"Sammy remember what Dad taught you..remember what I taught you.."_

Sam's eyes widened and he dropped the gun. He realized this wasn't right, he promised Dean that he would keep fighting. He had to keep going, for his brother.

That was then, and Sam blinked, back at the present. He tucked the car keys into his coat pocket and got out of the Impala. The rain was heavy now. He shielded his head and swiped the room card through the lock.

Dean looked over when the door opened. Sam came in, his coat was soaked and water dripped from the ends of his long hair. Dean turned the TV off and stood up. His little brother pulled his jacket off and looked at him.

"Hey" he said.

"Where have you been?" Dean asked.

Sam draped his coat over a chair "I couldn't sleep so I went out to get a beer".

Dean frowned "a beer?".

Sam gave him a look "yeah, why? You don't believe me?".

Dean didn't answer for a moment, then he shrugged slightly "no, it's not that"

"Then what is it Dean?".

The older Winchester tossed the remote onto the bed. He ran a hand over his head, his ring gleamed in the light of the room "it's just you going out in the middle of the night Sam and taking my car, this is the second time".

"You're pissed because I took the car?" Sam asked, he paused for a moment and then said "fine I'm sorry, I'll just walk then okay?".

Dean studied his brother's face. Sam's eyes showed emptiness and there was something else, something different. Sam was different.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Dean crackled his knuckles, then licked his lips and walked back over to Sam "is something going on with you Sammy?".

Sam looked at him "what do you mean?'.

"Just seems like something is bothering you".

At that moment, Sam wanted to tell Dean. About everything. He even opened his mouth slightly but no words came out. He couldn't tell his brother, not yet.

He cleared his throat "there's nothing bothering me, I'm fine" he said and turned away from Dean.

Sam unbuttoned his wet flannel and pulled it off. He wore a white t-shirt underneath. Dean watched Sam as he did this. He bit his lip.

"When are we going talking about it Sam?"

Sam kept his back turned to Dean "talk about what?".

Dean sighed "I'm back now, and don't know why, some supernatural thing claims to be an angel from God and that I have work for him but it's gotta be a lie, it makes no sense"

Sam looked at Dean "why does it have to be a lie? Why can't you believe it Dean? Do you have that little faith in yourself? Do you think you're that worthless?".

"I…don't know..".

Sam reached up and put his hands on both sides of Dean's face "listen to me, I'm alive because of you, you've saved my life and other people's lives too, why can't you think that God wants you here? You have a purpose Dean, it's time you start believing that".

Dean looked into Sam's eyes "but why me? I don't deserve anything, I'm not a hero".

"Yeah you are, you're my hero, I've looked up to you since I was four, I always wanted to be like you" He placed his forehead against Dean's "I still do" he said just above a whisper.

Dean sucked back a breath; he and Sam stared at each other for a long moment. His heart was pounding in his chest. He put his hands on Sam's shoulders and slid them up the back of his neck. His thumbs traced the ends of his brother's hair. Sam's mouth moved closer to Dean's.

_'No this is wrong…it's wrong…but it feels so right..'_

Their lips touched and Dean kissed him hard. Sam responded with the same intensity and pushed Dean back into the wall. Their mouths moved together in a passionate kiss. Sam ran his hands down Dean's sides and slid them underneath his shirt. He traced the outline of the muscles on Dean's back.

They turned around hitting the desk. Dean knocked over the lamp and reached down to unbuckle his pants. Sam clutched the front of Dean's shirt and panted. He cupped the amulet that hung from it's leather cord, a gift he'd given Dean years ago, and kissed him again.

Dean suddenly pulled away, Sam opened his eyes and looked at him.

"Dean…?" he asked softly.

Dean looked horrified, he held onto the waist of his jeans and turned around. He went into the bathroom and slammed the door.

Sam ran his hands through his hair. He looked at the closed door to the bathroom and could hear the sink running inside.

Part of him wanted to knock on that door but he never did. Instead, Sam was on spaghetti legs as he crawled into his bed. He pulled the covers up to his chin. He could still taste his brother on his lips.

--

Dean didn't come out of the bathroom until an hour later, Sam had fallen asleep. They never spoke about what happened between them.

…for now.


	2. A Second Drop

The Impala roared down the desolate highway. Along both sides of the road were fields and trees. The Winchesters were just leaving Colorado where their latest hunt brought them to the town of Rock Ridge. Dean had been infected with a ghost sickness, a disease that caused paranoia and after 48 hours, instant death. Just as time was almost up, Sam and Bobby destroyed the spirit, healing Dean in the process.

After drinking a couple beers together and bidding Bobby a 'see you later', the brothers hit the road again. Dean sat in the passenger seat fast asleep behind his sunglasses. He told Sam that he was so exhausted from the sickness that he needed a few hours sleep. Sam didn't mind that, it'd be awhile since he drove the Impala. And he liked to drive, it usually cleared his mind. However lately, his mind's been rotating on restless. Not about their hunts, or the coming apocalypse, though Sam did think about those things. But mostly, Sam couldn't stop thinking about that night over a month ago at a motel. When he and Dean had gotten close, very very close.

Sam remembered the heat between their bodies, the way Dean's hands had felt on his neck, their lips pressed tightly together in wild kisses. He was being torn in so many different directions because of it. How could he be feeling this way about Dean? He was his brother! But Sam couldn't deny his passion. Everyday that he looked at Dean he felt himself falling further. He was amazed he'd been able to control himself for as long as he had. But it wasn't just about lust. Dean's been Sam's hero all his life. Dean brought things out of him that sometimes scared Sam shitless. The four months that Dean was dead were the longest of Sam's life. He'd been with Dean for every day straight since he left Stanford in late 2005. That was nearly three years. Dean and hunting was all Sam ever knew. It was what he held onto. When Dean died, Sam's heart was torn out of his chest. That was why with the latest case, Dean being sick and on the death clock again, Sam was ripped apart inside. He feared that he would go back to that bleak darkness when Dean died before. And he couldn't lose Dean again, not a second time.

Sam pretended to be calm and collect about the whole thing for Dean's sake because with his brother already being paranoid and scared, it wouldn't help if Sam showed those emotions too. He had to stay tough.

Sam looked over at Dean, whose head was pressed against the window. They never talked about what had happened between them that night. So many times Sam wanted too but he never got the courage to bring it up. But he knew at some point soon that they were going to have to talk about it. Sam's heart was twisting more and more every day. He wasn't going to be able to keep his feelings bottled up for much longer.

His brown eyes shifted back to the road. With a sigh, he reached over and turned the radio on. A sappy love song filled the Impala. Sam rolled his eyes and changed the station.

--

The room was small and the hotel wasn't exactly luxury but it was the only one the brothers could find within their price range. They were only staying one night anyway. Bobby had called Dean with a possible new case a couple states over. Four teens had disappeared mysteriously on a stretch of road. The town lore on the road was that it was haunted. So Sam and Dean had a theory that it could be a vengeful spirit.

Dean dropped his bags on the floor and sat down on one of the beds. Sam looked at him as he put his duffel bag on the other twin sized bed. Dean rubbed his eyes and settled back in a comfortable position.

"So I figured we'll get a night's sleep and then check out at 10am, should be half a day's drive and we'll be in Missouri by evening" he said and looked at Sam "that sound good?".

Sam shrugged slightly "yeah I guess".

"You guess?"

Sam zipped open his duffel and pulled out a gray shirt and black sweatpants, "great, that sounds great" he said with mock enthusiasm.

Dean frowned "What's eating you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine"

Dean studied Sam for a moment, his brother had been pretty quiet since they left Rock Ridge that morning. Course for most of that time Dean hadn't been awake. That damn ghost sickness really took a lot out of him. He could still see Lilith's form screaming at him in his head. He hadn't told Sam about that yet. There were a lot of things Dean wasn't telling Sam lately. And it seemed like as time went on, the more secrets the brothers were keeping from each other.

'You know what the biggest thing is that you two aren't talking about..'

Yeah Dean knew, that night where he and Sam shared those passionate kisses. That had scared the hell out of Dean. He didn't have the faintest idea of how to talk about it with Sam. It was just too…too…screwed up!

Dean hoped that maybe by not talking about it that it would go forgotten. But he knew better, something that intense, that erotic, couldn't just go away.

--

Sam watched Dean and wished so badly that he could see what he was thinking. By the look on Dean's face, it was something deep.

_'Is he thinking about me? About us?_''

His long fingers wrapped tightly around the strap of his duffel. Sam didn't know how much more he could take this. He needed to know if Dean was feeling the same way, he needed to know what he thought of that night. Sam's chest was about to burst.

"Dean I-"

"I'm gonna get some ice" Dean suddenly said, getting up from the bed. He walked across the room and grabbed the ice bucket. He then turned towards the door.

Sam was surprised at Dean's sudden nip up and as he watched his brother reach for the doorknob he knew he couldn't let Dean leave. Even though he would be back Sam had to get this out right now. He didn't know if he could do it again in five minutes. In this light, those minutes seemed like days.

Dean opened the door, Sam moved in front of him and closed it. Dean looked at him confused "What are you doing?"

"We need to talk, now" Sam replied.

"Um…ok, about what?"

"You know what"

Sam was standing so close to him, Dean forced himself to take a step back, "I do? And what's that Sam?"

Sam grabbed his arm "come on, you know! About this" He gestured between himself and Dean "about what happened between us".

Dean blinked and stayed silent for a moment. He then pulled his arm away from Sam and shook his head "No Sam, we can't talk about that".

Sam watched Dean walk away from him "why? "

"Because it was just a thing! A moment of temporary insanity!" he cried and threw the ice bucket aside.

Sam looked hurt "that's it? That's all it was to you?"

Dean looked at him, the expression on Sam's face made his heart ache but he couldn't give in, it was wrong.

"For Christ's sake Sam, were brothers, do you know how crazy this is?"

Sam wiped a tear from his eye and nodded with a defiance "you're right were brothers and you know what that means? It means that no one knows me better than you Dean, no one is more important to me, I'd do anything and die for you. You've taught me everything I know and sacrificed yourself for me. I wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for you".

Sam took a breath, walked closer to Dean and contiuned on "you're my weakness, why do you think I was so obsessed in getting you back? I couldn't survive without you and when I was forced to accept the fact that you were really dead, I nearly killed myself".

Dean stared at his younger brother open mouthed "you…what?".

Sam lowered his gaze "I was in the Impala one night, I had the gun to my head and I almost pulled the trigger".

Dean shook his head in disbelief "damn it Sammy…"

"But I didn't, I heard your voice in my head and I remembered I made a promise to you to keep fighting, but you were gone Dean and I didn't know how else to continue to fight except for using the powers that I have, that's why I went back to Ruby for help" Sam raised his eyes back to Dean's and trailed off.

Dean looked at him "you told me you were going to stop, you're not considering going back are you?"

Sam hesitated a second, he had thought about it, but it wasn't safe, "no" he finally answered.

Dean nodded "good".

Sam reached up and put his hands on Dean's shoulders "my point is that you're a part of me and I can't let you go again, I just can't".

He leaned his head against Dean's and gripped his shirt in between his fingers. Dean didn't make any movements or back away. He let Sam hold him there for a long moment. And he wanted to wrap his arms around Sammy and have him in return but he held back. This was getting out of control. He had to stop it.

"I can't.." he said and pulled away.

Sam dropped his hands and his eyes filled with tears. His heart sank through his knees.

"I'm going to get another room" Dean told him. He walked over to the bed and picked up his bags "were never going to talk about this again Sam, it's done".

Sam stared at Dean's back "no it's not done" he said. He then strided across the room in two steps and pulled Dean against him. He wrapped his arms around his back and kissed him.

Dean stood stiff, Sam's lips were on his. It was something he wished would happen again ever since that night at the motel. And here they were again. Dean grabbed Sam's face and returned the kiss. He held on for as long as he could until finally he pushed Sam away. Sam hit the bed and watched as Dean snatched up his bags and left the room, slamming the door behind him. He stood there shocked. That was until he heard the Impala's engine start outside. Sam ran to the door and flung it open.

Dean was in the car, he was going to split. Sam rushed around to the driver's side and knocked hard on the window.

"Dean! What the hell are you doing?" he shouted.

Dean rolled the window down a crack "I'm leaving Sam, you need to get over this!"

"Don't leave, please" he begged him.

"I have too, I'm sorry Sammy"

Dean put the window back up and hit the gas. Sam looked helplessly on as he backed out of the parking space and drove away.


	3. Angels & Demons

Chapter 3: Angels & Demons

* * *

Dean pulled into another motel about five miles away from where he left Sam. His cell had been ringing the entire time. No doubt it was Sam calling him. Dean reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the phone. He flipped it open and the little screen said he had five missed calls. He closed his eyes and pushed his head back on the seat rest. He wanted to go back to Sammy so much, it broke his heart leaving him like that. But he knew he couldn't. This brewing attraction between them had to end. It wasn't healthy for either of them, at least in Dean's mind. No matter how tough it was for Dean to fight his feelings. He could still feel Sam's mouth pressed hard against his in that passionate kiss. It was one of the hardest things Dean ever had to do to pull away.

He looked out the window at the two story motel and parking lot. Only a few lights were on in the rooms. Dean glanced at his watch and saw it was past midnight. He turned his phone off and tucked it back in his pocket. Dean then killed the Impala's engine and head lights.

Sam's pleading voice echoed in his mind, Dean moaned and covered his face with his hands.

_'I'm sorry Sammy but I had to go, don't you understand how wrong this is? Were brothers…but…your eyes and your touch…it's the softest thing I've ever…' _

A woman, that's what he needed. He needed to find a hot woman and have some good sex. Dean hadn't been laid since he came back. Once he did that, everything would go back to normal. He would stop having these crazy feelings for Sam.

Dean nodded, he remembered seeing a sign that indicated an exit to the nearest town. Maybe there was a bar there. Usually these isolated towns had a bar around. He'd meet someone there right? And even if he didn't, Dean was going to give he and Sam a couple days to get over this. Either way, it'll be over.

_'But I don't want it to be over…'_"

Damn it Dean! Stop thinking like that.." he scolded himself.

"Yes I would advise it" said a familiar voice next to him.

Dean jumped and looked over, there sitting in the passenger seat was the angel Castiel. He put his hand on his chest and took a breath "why do you always do that? You get a kick out of giving me a heart attack?".

Castiel ignored his question, "hello Dean".

Dean looked at him strangely "so this holy car salesman look, you're still sticking with that I see".

Castiel shifted his eyes to Dean's "this isn't the time to be making jokes, I know what you've been doing with Sam".

A pit of fear churned in Dean's stomach, he cleared his throat and tried to play dumb "I don't know what you're talking about".

The angel turned sharply and grabbed his arm "don't act stupid with me Dean, do you forget that I'm an angel of the Lord? I see everything that you do, I know what you're thinking every moment of every day, and I wanted to give you time. I thought you would see the absurdity in the situation, and I will agree, leaving Sam was the right thing to do but it stops tonight Dean, you understand me?".

Dean looked at him, Castiel's grip on his arm was so tight.

"I don't know what to do" he said softly.

"I'll tell you what's going to happen" Castiel replied "if this adultery continues, I can put you back downstairs. Then I'll find someone else to do God's work, there are many other hunters out there that are qualified for the job. This is your last chance" he brought his face close to Dean's and hissed in his ear "I pulled you out of Hell, don't make me regret it".

With that, Castiel was gone.

Dean got out of the Impala and grabbed his bags from the backseat. He dumped out a bottle of whiskey and took a few swigs. Dean coughed hard as he leaned against the car.

He never thought in his entire life that he would be afraid of an angel.

----------------

_''Hey this is Dean, leave a message.."_

Sam cursed and gripped onto his cell. He'd been trying to call Dean for the last half hour and now all he was getting was his voicemail.

"He turned his damn phone off" Sam grumbled.

He tossed his Treo aside onto the bed and leaned his head down. How could Dean leave him like that? Did he really think time away would help Sam get over this? Sam had been trying for over a month to repress his feelings. Another day or two wasn't going to do the trick. He didn't like feeling this way. He knew it was crazy. He knew it was sinful. But it wasn't going to stop, Sam had to make Dean see that. Now though he couldn't even go out and try to find him. He had no idea where Dean went.

Sam pushed his hair back from his face and stood up. He ringed his fingers together and paced the room. Sam looked at clock on the wall, it was almost one in the morning. There was no way he was sleeping tonight. He was too restless.

_Knock, knock._

Sam stopped and looked at the door. Another two knocks.

"Dean" he whispered. Sam rushed to the door and opened it. But it wasn't Dean who was looking back at him, it was Ruby.

The dark haired beauty had her arms crossed over her chest. She was wearing a leather jacket and ripped jeans. Her brown eyes stared hard at him. Sam blinked, shocked to see her. He hadn't seen Ruby in weeks.

"Ruby, how did you know…?" He shook his head "what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you Sam, why haven't you been answering my calls?"

Sam sighed "because I've decided to stop taping into my demonic powers, it's not what I need to be doing and I know where it's going to lead me".

The demon scoffed "what are you talking about? You've been saving people Sam! You use those powers for good".

"I didn't expect you to understand, and it doesn't matter what you think, it's my decision Ruby, not yours".

She narrowed her eyes and studied him "is this about Dean? Is that why you're stopping?"

_'Dean' _he thought. He gripped tightly onto the metal doorknob.

"I don't have to explain anything to you, now leave" Sam said and started to close the door. Ruby put her hand out and forced it back.

"No I'm not leaving, not until you realize what a big mistake you're making".

Sam glared at her "A mistake? The only mistake I ever made was associating myself with you in the first place. I know what this is, you're using me for your own personal gain. I should have seen past your nobility act a long time ago! You're a demon and you guys are all the same. Now if you know what's good for you, you'll get out of here before I send you back to Hell".

Ruby took a step back and Sam could see the fear in her eyes. She knew he could do it too. He didn't have to shout any words in Latin anymore. All he had to do was raise his hand and suck the demon out of her.

He clenched his teeth "get out!" he yelled.

Ruby backed out of the room "this isn't over Sam, I'll be back" she said.

A moment later, she was gone.

Sam closed the door and locked it. He pulled back the curtain and looked outside. The lot was dimly lit and only a few cars sat in the parking spaces. Sam stepped back from the window and leaned his head against the wall.

He was broken and alone. His heart was shattered. Sam's need for Dean was even stronger when he was gone. And if Ruby was serious about her word on coming back, that was whole other thing.

Sam lifted his head and stared at the wall.

_'I shouldn't have let Ruby go, I should have sent her back to Hell, then she'd be gone for good and I wouldn't be tempted to use these dark powers again..'_Sam dropped down on one of the beds. He had to find Dean as soon as possible, not just to keep himself in check but to convince his brother that he needed Sam as much as Sam needed him.

"Where are you?" he asked the empty room.


	4. Dean Returns

Chapter 4: Dean Returns

* * *

The following morning Dean came back to the hotel. Gray clouds hovered overhead and threatened the chance of rain. Dean rubbed the sleep from his eyes and then checked his watch. After his 'visit' from Castiel, Dean had checked into a room and caught a few hours of shut eye. His mind, however, was too occupied to have a good night's sleep. He kept having dreams about Sam. He closed his eyes as he remembered them.

Dean was driving away in the Impala and Sam had been chasing after him. He screamed his brother's name over and over. Dean could hear him as clearly as if Sam was sitting right next to him but he kept driving on. Another one had Dean in bed with Sam, they were huddled together surrounded by fire. But the fire wasn't scaring Sam, he was smiling as he stroked Dean's hair. Dean clutched onto him and started yelling. Sam whispered in his ear to tell him that everything was going to be okay but Dean couldn't stop. Then Sam would disappear. In the last one, Dean was standing in a dark room. Sam was behind him caressing his body gently. Dean relished in Sam's touch but his skin was ice cold. Sam kept asking him why he was so cold. Dean answered that it was because he was scared. His feelings for Sam scared him, he didn't want to die again and he didn't want Sam to turn evil. Sam kissed the side of his neck and assured Dean that it wasn't going to happen. Dean smiled softly and turned around to look at him. Sam's eyes were black and he grabbed Dean's neck and started to squeeze.

_'No, Sammy!'_

Dean's eyes opened, a shiver went down his back. That last dream had seemed so real. It was like that hallucination he had of Sam when he was infected with the ghost sickness. But that's all they were, dreams and hallucinations. It wasn't reality.

He let out a soft breath through his mouth and after a few moments, got out of the car. The door squeaked as he shut it.

As Dean walked up to the room, he reached into his jeans pocket and took out the key card he still had from last night. He debated on whether or not to knock. Dean hoped that Sam was still here, but he could have checked out for all he knew. He sighed, and cursed himself for taking off the way he did. He shouldn't have left Sammy like that.

Dean weighed the key in his hand, he decided to just go in. Either he would find his brother in there or he was about to walk in on some poor sucker. Dean slid the key through the lock and the green light went on. He pushed the door open slowly and looked inside.

There was someone lying in the bed and as Dean moved over the threshold he recognized the mop of Sam's hair. He smiled slightly and quietly closed the door behind him.

He stood there for a moment and watched Sam sleep. His little brother looked so peaceful. Dean really didn't want to disturb him.

He leaned over and placed his hand gently on Sam's arm.

"Sam?" he said softly, he shook him lightly.

Sam moaned and rolled over onto his back. His eyes flickered open. He blinked and looked up at Dean, who smiled down at him.

"Heya Sammy"

Sam frowned "Dean?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's me".

Sam rubbed his eyes and sat up, his hair was matted down to his face. Dean sat down on the other bed. "Sorry to wake you up but um, I wanted to know I was back" he said.

Sam looked at the clock "I just got to sleep like two hours ago" he mussed his hair around "I was up most of the night".

Dean looked at him, he bit his lip "yeah, look I'm sorry about ditching you here, I just…" he trailed off, not sure of how to put it, "Just…needed some time to think I guess".

Sam propped the pillows behind him to lean back. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched Dean "to think? That was really shitty of you Dean leaving like that, you know how much that hurt me?".

"Sam…I'm trying to apologize here"

"Yeah well I'm trying to make you see that you were a jerk"

Dean groaned, he got up and walked to the other side of the room "Can we not argue please? Yeah alright, I was a jerk and I admit it, but I'm freaked out here man".

Sam looked at him "because of us?".

"Yes, because I know a few days apart is not going to make it go away, this thing between us is too strong Sammy but it can't happen".

Sam lowered his eyes, he couldn't look at Dean without getting upset "why can't it happen? Cause were brothers? Dean I'm a mess without you, you're more to me than just my brother, you're my soul mate".

Dean closed his eyes "please don't say that".

Sam angrily hit the bed with the ball of his fist, "why?!" he demanded.

"Because I'll go back to Hell, that's why!".

Bewilderment slowly formed on Sam's face, "…what?".

"Castiel came to me last night, after I left here, he told me he knew what was going on with us".

Sam stared back at him, he didn't respond so Dean continued on "he told me that if our relationship continues, that he can send me back to the pit".

Sam's eyes shifted, he stayed quiet as Dean's revelation sunk in. Dean watched him for a reaction, any kind of reaction, but Sam stayed silent. He went to the bed and sat down in front of his brother.

"Sam…" he started to say.

"No, it's not fair" Sam suddenly said, cutting Dean off "He can't take you away from me again, if I lose you Dean it's going to kill me!" He reached over and grabbed Dean's face "this is real, you and me are real, can't you see that?".

Dean looked into Sam's eyes, he reached up and placed his hands around his wrists "I know but…I can't go back Sammy, I can't".

Sam sucked in a breath "maybe he was just trying to scare you".

"I don't know that, I can't take a chance…you don't understand, when I was in Hell.."

"Wait a minute" Sam said "you remember being down there?".

Dean slowly pushed Sam's hands down, he pursed his lips and nodded "yeah, I'm starting to remember some things".

Sam shook his head "Dean, why didn't you tell me?".

Dean moved away and clasped his hands together "because it scares the crap out of me".

Sam looked at him and said softly "I can't imagine what that's like for you".

Dean turned back to him "so you understand now why we can't be together right? I'm not about to mess with an angel Sam, Cas did pull me out, I have his damn handprint on my shoulder to show for it" His eyes lowered to the floor "he said he can throw me back in, we can't screw with this".

Dean could hear the screams in his head. Remembered the heat of the flames.

"You understand right?" he asked in a low voice.

Sam's face was racked with emotion, his jaw tightened "yeah…I understand.." he said after a long pause.

He nodded at Dean and then forced himself to push him away. He got up from the bed and crossed the room. Sam stared out the window. It had started to rain and it was coming down pretty heavy.

"Sam?" Dean asked. Sam's eyes fell closed.

"What about this job in Missouri? We gonna take it?" He said as he turned back to Dean, his voice shook a little.

Dean flinched surprised at the question. He wasn't expecting Sam to ask that. In all honesty, Dean had completely forgotten about that possible case in Missouri. But if Sam wanted to go back to business, then that was the best thing he guessed.

"Uh, yeah I guess so, it's worth checking out" he said.

"Alright let's get going then" Sam picked up his duffel bag.

Dean watched Sam as he took clothes out of the bag "are you uh, okay with everything then?".

"Yeah Dean I'm just peachy, why don't you wait in the car?".

Sam walked past him and went into the bathroom. He closed the door behind him harshly, startling Dean. He broke and rubbed his hand over his face.

Things would never be okay after this.


	5. Sweet Hollow Road

**Chapter 5: Sweet Hollow Road**

_**Bixby, Missouri**_

**Every town has it's stories and it's legends. Some are intriguing and others are just plain out scary. That was the case for Bixby, Missouri. A local abandoned road that stretched out into the woods off Route 49 named Sweet Hollow Road. It was a landmark in the town that no one dared to visit. Only if you were a reckless teenager who believed the lore behind the road was all a big joke. **

**The history behind it is no laughing matter. Story goes that in 1905, over a hundred years ago, a man named Victor Young owned the only house located at the very end of the road. He lived there with his wife Cora and young son, Franklin. The Young's were quiet folks, they rarely left their house and grew their own food. They had a well in their backyard for water. And with no neighbors around for miles, the Young's were never ones for socializing. Victor was the only one that ever went to the local town to buy groceries and stock for his family. Cora was believed to be bitter. She hated always being in the house stuck to care for their son Franklin. Franklin was six years old, he was a troublesome boy. Always running around the house and breaking things. He sometimes left the house and would run down to the end of the road and scare his mother out of her wits by threatening to cross the highway. Cora had a lot of trouble in dealing with Franklin on her own. Victor blamed Cora for Franklin's behavior and beat her because of it. Franklin would sometimes see his father hitting his mother. **

**Franklin was never put in school. Victor didn't want his son associating with anyone or anything from the town. He told Cora to always keep their son inside or near the house so he wouldn't try to go to the town himself. Cora resented Victor after a long time, for forcing her to stay put and never being able to have a life of her own. Franklin being so high maintenance didn't help matters much either. **

**Victor kept Cora on a short leash, always making her do things for him. He held her down roughly as they made love in bed. She gave him baths and rubbed his feet. She did the cleaning and the cooking. The only work Victor ever did was travel to the town to purchase things for their home. **

**Cora hated her husband and her life. She even started to hate her son. Franklin would never listen to her and she was riding on her last chip of sanity after the little boy ripped her mother's sacred painting one day with a steak knife. **

**Cora decided that she had had enough, she devised a plot in her head to kill Victor and Franklin in their sleep. **

**Slipping out of the bed quietly at 3 in the morning, Cora reached under her pillow and pulled out the long kitchen knife she had snaked from the knife rack earlier that day while Victor was out. Cora loomed over her husband's form and brought the knife to his neck. Victor didn't move an inch. She sliced him clean across the throat. He never made a sound. Then, Cora left the room and walked down the hall to her son's room. Franklin laid in his bed clutching his teddy bear. Cora stared down at her son and tears filled her eyes. She pulled the pillow out from under Franklin's head and slapped it over his face. **

**It was almost too easy.**

**As the morning sun rose, Cora sat downstairs on the kitchen floor rocking back and forth. She looked at the knife that was covered in her husband's blood. **

**"What have I done?" she asked herself.**

**She raised the knife and slit her own throat. **

**For years after the deaths, it was said that Cora's restless ghost still haunted the house and the road. But it wasn't until recently however that the disappearances started. **

**Groups of kids at a time would go to Sweet Hollow Road and check out the area. Daring their friends to walk down to the Young house that was abandoned and still standing at the end of the road. **

**Four teenagers have gone missing in the last few months. Their friends claimed that they looked for them but they found nothing. The kids were just gone. Police scoured the road and surrounding woods for hours but no bodies were ever found. The road is now considered a crime scene and is blocked off from the community. **

**Some of Bixby's residents say that Cora Young's spirit took the kids and killed them. That she believes the territory is hers and anyone who trespasses will die. Her body is presumed to be buried somewhere near the road. As to why it was buried there, no one knows. Enough people are scared enough to go nowhere near Sweet Hollow Road. **

**But not Sam and Dean Winchester, this was their job. This was their life. And Sam believed there was something supernatural happening there. And they had to stop it.**

**It was 6am on a Wednesday morning, Dean pulled the Impala in front of the road. Yellow tape was up, stretched across and pulled around two large trees. **

**Dean looked out the window, Sweet Hollow Road was a dirt one and seemed to go on for miles. **

**"Well, this is going to suck" he said and glanced back at Sam.**

**Sam peered over Dean's head at the road, he shrugged slightly "when does our job not suck?" he asked, he then reached into the inside pocket of his coat and took out their EMF reader "come on, let's check it out".**

**He got out of the car, Dean followed suit and opened the trunk where they kept their arsenal in a large case "so, according to those teens we interviewed, they said their friends went off the road and into those woods and never came out".**

**"Yeah, they heard screams and booked, what was it that one kid said it sounded like?" Sam asked.**

**Dean smirked "howler monkeys".**

**Sam gave him a look "that's not what he said Dean".**

**"Yeah uh right, I was just, you know, trying to lighten the situation".**

**Sam rolled his eyes, **_**'that's Dean for you ladies and gentlemen' **_**he thought.**

**Dean reached into the trunk and gave Sam one shotgun that was loaded with rock salt. He cocked his own shotgun, "you know, I can't even believe I'm up and oriented at this hour, you really think Cora's spirit is around right now? Night is when the freaks usually come out".**

**Sam closed the trunk, "no probably not but it doesn't hurt to be safe".**

**"That's you Sammy, safety first"**

**Sam ignored Dean's comment and they walked together toward the road. Things between them had been very tense the past few days. Ever since Dean told Sam about Castiel's ultimatum. Sam hated it but he forced himself to accept the fact that nothing more could happen between them. If this angel was serious about what he told Dean, Sam had to get past it. If he lost Dean again, it would kill him, surely this time. Sam needed his brother, and it was better to have Dean alive and hunting with him then not to have him at all. **

**Sam held out the EMF reader and almost immediately the thing started going off. **

**"Wow, it's getting readings" Dean said.**

**"Big time" Sam replied.**

**"Yeah, and were not even on the road yet".**

**They ducked down underneath the yellow tape and journeyed on further down the road. The EMF started going all buzzy and Dean heard a rustling in the trees not far from them. He whirled around and raised his shotgun toward the sound. Sam's eyes darted around and he held his gun at the ready.**

**There was more rustling and footsteps, it sounded like someone was running through the trees. **

**"Something's out here" Sam said in a low voice.**

**Dean stayed back to back with Sam, he looked over his shoulder at him, "if Cora's body really is buried near the road, we gotta find it and torch it".**

**"How the hell are we gonna do that? We don't even know for sure if she is buried here, and even if she was, we have a helluva a lot of digging to do" He paused to look at the reader "Besides I think I found a ritual in Dad's journal that will work out better". **

**"Yeah? And what's that Dick Tracy?".**

**Sam clutched the EMF tightly in his hand "it's only going to work at night, let's just go back to the car and come back tonight, we know for sure now that there's a spirit here".**

**Dean blinked, "seriously?".**

**"Yes, come on" Sam said and started to walk back. Dean hesitated and looked back at the woods.**

**"Sam…" he said but Sam was too far away to hear him, "shit" he muttered and quickly followed after him. **

----------

**"Come on Carly, it'll be funny" Mark said as he and his girlfriend Carly along with their two friends looked on at Sweet Hollow Road. **

**Carly glared at him and shook his head "Are you kidding me? There's no way I'm going down that road, didn't you hear about what happened to those kids?" she asked.**

**"Oh please, nothing happened to the kids, they probably just ran off from home and their friends concocted that story up to distract the cops" Mark's friend, Derek, said to her. **

**His girlfriend Bree laughed and wrapped her arms around Derek's waist "and why would they do that?".**

**"Probably cuz their douche bags" Derek smiled and kissed her nose. **

**Carly sighed and rolled her eyes at her friends. She couldn't believe she let them talk her into coming out here to check out this creepy road. But Mark always liked an adventure and she didn't want him thinking that she was a wussy. Carly originally thought, how bad could it be?, but now that she was here, she was really nervous. **

**"Alright look how about this? We'll all go together" Derek said "that way you can grab onto Mark if you get scared Carly".**

**"Oh wow, thanks Derek" Carly replied. **

**Bree giggled "I'm game" she pulled on Derek's arm "come on, let's go".**

**'**_**God, Bree is such a dumb ho' **_

**Her "friend" Bree was what guys would call an easy ride. She was so slutty when it came to the opposite sex. Carly knew for a fact that she was cheating on Derek. **

**As Derek and Bree walked ahead of them, Mark moved in front of Carly and looked at her with his deep brown eyes "hey look, we'll just stay near the end of the road okay? We don't have to walk further down".**

**Carly stared at Mark and her heart melted. He was such a loving and dedicated boyfriend and when he looked at her like that, he could ask her to go bunjee jumping off the Empire State building and she would do it. **

**"Alright but you are NOT leaving my side" she finally said.**

**Mark smiled, "I wouldn't dream of it".**

**"Come on you pussies!" Derek called out to them.**

**Carly tucked a few strands of her red hair behind her ear and took Mark's hand. They ducked under the crime scene tape and crossed across the dirt road. **

**"Isn't this wild?" Bree asked as she looked around.**

**Derek snaked his hand underneath Bree's shirt "the perfect place to do bad things, if you know what I mean".**

**Bree laughed like a giddy toddler and slapped Derek's hand "you freak!"**

**"Guys, keep your voice down!" Carly hissed at them.**

**Derek gave her a strange look "what the hell for? No one knows were out here". **

**"Carly's right, just chill out a little" Mark said. **

**Bree started to pull on Derek's arms "Let's go down further so we can be alone" she leaned in and licked the side of Derek's neck which made him groan.**

**"Hey, where the hell are you going?" Carly asked.**

**"Away from you two!" Bree yelled back.**

**"Guys-" Mark started to say until a sudden gust of wind hit them. It was cold and icy. Carly wrapped her arms around herself and shook.**

**"Where did that come from?" she asked.**

**Mark moved behind her and put his hands on her waist "that was kind of weird".**

**Carly couldn't even see Bree and Derek anymore, it was too dark. Another gust of wind blew and the trees around them shook with it's force. Carly pressed herself against Mark and her spine tingled with a shiver.**

**"Mark, I want to get out of here" she said.**

**He looked down at her "okay" he nodded and cupped his hand over his mouth "Derek, Bree! Come on, were leaving!".**

**The wind was their only answer. Fear crept up Carly's body.**

**"B-Bree?" **

**Mark squinted to look in the darkness, he thought he could see two figures approaching them.**

**"Cut it out you jerks, Carly wants to get out of here".**

**Carly couldn't see the two figures, she started to back up and tried to pull Mark with her "please Mark, let's go".**

**That's when they heard the scream. It didn't sound human. Carly's eyes widened and a tear streamed down her cheek.**

**"Mark!" she yelled as she tugged on his shirt sleeve. **

**As the couple turned around they ran into two figures. Carly screamed and lurched back. She looked up at whoever or whatever it was they just collided with.**

**Two men holding shotguns, flashlights and a duffel bag looked back at them. Mark and Carly stared at them bewildered.**

**"Alright come on, get out of here" the taller one with long dark hair said. The shorter one with spiky hair took Carly's arm and ushered her and Mark past them.**

**"I…but…wait…our friends are back there…" Carly stammered.**

**"We'll get them, just go to your car!" one of them said.**

**Carly stumbled with Mark as they escaped the road. He spun around to face her once they reached Mark's Eclipse.**

**"What the hell's going on?" **

**Carly didn't answer as she looked at the road and waited desperately for her friends to come out. **

**-------------**

**Dean cocked his shotgun as he ran with Sam. They heard the scream again as they got closer. It sounded like it was right in front of them.**

**They both skidded to a stop and aimed their guns around. Dean nearly pulled the trigger when he saw the boy and girl leap out from the darkness.**

**"Jesus" Dean muttered.**

**The girl had blond hair and the guy had dark hair gelled up into a faux hawk. Their eyes were as wide was golf balls and they panted heavily. **

**"Oh my god, that woman's eyes…they were so awful!" the girl was saying.**

**"Both of you get back to your car, your friends are waiting for you" Sam commanded them.**

**"What the hell was that?!" the boy asked.**

**"You don't want to know" Dean said "just go".**

**It didn't take long for the teens to run, and that was damn good, Dean knew he and Sam couldn't do their job right if they had other lives to look out for.**

**"That girl said she saw eyes" Sam said.**

**"Were about to find out" Dean replied and aimed his flashlight ahead "you better get Dad's journal out and quick".**

**Earlier Sam had explained the ritual he found to Dean that he thinks would crush the ghost of Cora Young. Dean thought it was crazy because it was like nothing he ever heard of. Apparently what they had to do was yell an incantation in an unknown language. That would bring the spirit to them, then while Dean continued to shout the spell which should keep the spirit in place, Sam was going to cut his arm and spill blood onto the road that Cora thought of as so sacred. Then Sam would yell an exorcism and send Cora's spirit back to Hell where she should have gone in the first place. **

**Sam quickly opened the duffel bag and pulled out the journal. Dean shone his flashlight on it so Sam could skim through the pages. **

**A cold gust of wind blew against them and Dean swore he could hear a woman's voice through the wind.**

**"Here it is" Sam said and dropped the bag, he clutched onto the journal and grabbed Dean's flashlight "I'll say the incantation, just keep that ghost at bay".**

**"But Sam we haven't even seen-" Dean cut off when they heard a scream. For a second, Dean thought it was the girl again but this scream was different now. It sounded animalistic. And as the wind gust got stronger, the spirit appeared before them. She had long stringy white hair and her face was green. Blood dripped from a cut in her neck and her eyes were the reddest Dean had ever seen. **

**So this was Cora Young. **

**She lunged at them just as Dean shot at her. Cora darted to the side and Dean took another shot. Sam started chanting which made Cora scream. Dean winced at the volume.**

**"Damn bitch, is that natural?"**

**Cora spun around to face Dean, her eyes were now bleeding. She held out her hands and an invisible force threw Dean off the road. He grunted as he hit the ground. **

**Cora then turned her attention to Sam who looked at her with wide eyes. She telekinetically took the journal out of Sam's hand and pushed him back. Sam gritted his teeth and tried to fight it as Cora slammed him against a tree. She brought her face close to his.**

**"You dare try to kill me boy?" she hissed.**

**Sam grimaced, her breath smelled like piss.**

**Cora reached into Sam's stomach, her hand passing through like haze through a wall and squeezed his intestines. Sam screamed out in agony.**

**"Sam!" Dean cried and quickly got to his feet. He picked up his rock salt loaded shot gun and pointed it at Cora. She snapped her head around sharply and knocked the wind out of Dean before he could get a shot off. Dean gasped for breath as he was thrown on his back. **

**Cora pulled her hand out of Sam's stomach and walked away from him, her interest now peaked on Dean. Sam fell to his knees and he coughed out strips of saliva as he bled from the cut Cora had made. Meanwhile, Cora approached Dean and looked down at him. Dean tried to get up but it was like a thousand pounds were sitting on top of him. The spirit decided she was going to rip Dean from the inside out.**

**She leaned down and sunk her hand through Dean's chest. He felt her as fingers wrapped around his insides. She began to pull on them. Dean screamed at the agonizing pain. **

**Suddenly the pain ceased and Cora's hold on Dean was gone. The spirit looked up confused. She saw Sam was back up and that his hand was raised out in front of him. Cora tried to move but she had no control of her limbs. She was being pulled toward Sam and couldn't stop it! **

**"How…?" she asked.**

**Cora didn't have time to finish, once she was close enough to Sam he made a fist and closed his eyes. Cora shouted and pleaded as her form started to fade and sink deeper into the ground. Her voice faded into the night.**

**Dean put his hands on his chest and lifted his head. Some blood trickled from his mouth. Sam rushed to his Dean's side and cradled his head.**

**"Dean, are you okay? Can you hear me?" **

**Dean looked up at Sam's soft eyes "yeah…I'm alright" he said.**

**Sam touched Dean's face "You sure?" he asked softly. **

**Dean reached up and clutched onto Sam's jacket "yeah Sammy I'm sure". **

**Sam pressed his mouth against his brother's forehead, Dean closed his eyes slightly. For a long moment, he bathed himself in the scent of Sammy Winchester.**

**"Alright let's get you up" Sam finally said. He helped Dean to his feet. **

**"What the hell happened? How'd you beat her?" he asked.**

**Sam held his arm over his midsection "I…just beat her". **

**Dean gave him a look "you mean you used your psychic powers didn't you?". He lowered his eyes to Sam's stomach and saw he was bleeding through his shirt.**

**"Oh Christ Sam, you're hurt" he said.**

**Sam looked down at his wound "I'll be alright..".**

**Dean could see that Sam was woozy on his feet, he reached out and put his hands on his shoulders "no you're not". He wrapped his arm around Sam's back and helped him as they walked over to where their things laid scattered across Sweet Hollow Road. Remnants from the battle with Cora Young.**

**"Let's get back to the hotel and I'll patch you up" Dean said.**

**---------**

**Once they got back to their room, Sam slowly walked in and sat down on the bed. The bleeding had stopped but he was still in a tremendous amount of pain. He winced as he pulled his jacket off. **

**Just another day at the office right?**

**Dean closed the door and put their bags on the floor. He whipped out the first aid kit and turned to Sam "alright, let me see the cut". **

**Sam lifted his shirt and saw the imprint Cora had made for the first time. The wound looked deep and sticky wet blood coated the outside. Dean made a face as he poured a couple drops of alcohol on the gauze.**

**"Shit, she really did a number on you Sammy".**

**"I felt her damn fingers around my intestines Dean".**

**Dean rubbed the gauze and alcohol together with his fingers "well if it's any consolation, I think she wanted to rip my heart out" he rested his arm on Sam's legs "This might sting" he warned.**

**Sam nodded and waited, Dean pressed the gauze against the wound. Sam clenched his teeth and cringed. Dean tenderly cleaned the wound and wiped the blood off. As he did this, Dean could feel Sam relaxing underneath his touch. And that pleased Dean. He was taking care of his Sammy, just like he always has.**

**"Okay, done" Dean said after putting on the bandages "it looked worse than it was, you should heal up in a few days".**

**Dean looked up at him and their eyes met, Sam bit his bottom lip, "thanks" he said softly. **

**As they stared at each other, those feelings Dean had tried stuff down all came rushing back to the surface. Sam looked so soft and desirable. The look in his eyes was pleading for Dean's touch. And Dean wanted too damn it, he wanted it so much that his heart was ready to burst. **

**He couldn't though, it needed to stop here.**

**Dean looked away and stood up. He put the first aid kit back in the bag. **

**The moment left Sam breathless until Dean turned away from him. He looked at him and watched as he started to unpack his things.**

**Dean was so close but yet so far. **


	6. Oh Sammy My Sammy

Chapter 6: Oh Sammy My Sammy

_Five days after Halloween_

"Don't know Dean, this could be a case" Sam said as he looked at the ripped newspaper page he held in front of him.

Dean glanced over at him "Sounds like a standard double homicide to me Sam, how bout we let the fuzz handle this one?".

"A standard double homicide?"

"What?" Dean asked and shrugged "ok, a bad double homicide?".

Sam could only sigh in response, "right, anyway, we've looked into less".

"What makes you think this is a job?"

Sam looked back at the paper and scanned over the article again. He read it out loud to Dean for the third time.

A few counties over from where they were now, a couple had been found murdered in their home. The strange thing about the murder was that both bodies were mutilated and around the corpses, strange voodoo stuff was found; plush dolls, books of spells, and other human body parts. The woman's throat was slit and the man, stabbed through the heart. Plus, his manhood was removed, seemingly to be chopped off with a dull butter knife.

"A damn butter knife?" Dean asked in disbelief "is that even possible?".

"Apparently it is" Sam replied and put the clipping on the seat beside him.

Dean gripped onto the wheel as he turned the Impala into a dim motel's parking lot "alright so hold on, it sounds like a possible ritual by a cult group due to the voodoo stuff found, maybe something local? Or the couple could have really pissed off a bunch of Wiccans" he said with a slight smirk as he pulled in front of the main entrance of the motel "or could be nothing supernatural at all, I said it once and I'll say it again, demons I get but people are fucking crazy".

Sam cracked a small smile at Dean's wisdom despite the grim story "yeah, tell me about it". He leaned forward and stretched out his arms "still, I think we should check it out".

"Man" Dean groaned and shrugged in defeat "alright, but it better not be witches, I'm so sick of dealing with those bitches".

Sam could hear that, their latest hunt brought the brothers to a town where all hell was supposed to break loose, literally. A centuries year old witch raised Samhain, one of the most powerful demons from Hell, to wreak havoc on the town and bring forth one of the 66 seals. Sam hadn't learned about all this seal mumbo jumbo until he finally came to face to face with the angel Castiel and his friend Uriel. Ever since he met those two, Sam had been really questioning his faith. Both of the angels came off conceited and self righteous and not to mention Castiel's obvious hesitation after Sam offered his hand to him.

_'Sam Winchester, the boy with the demon blood..' _he had said.

Demon blood, that reality couldn't have been beaten into Sam's head more than it already was.

Dean told him not to give up on Heaven because of two shady angels. Sam knew he was right and he wasn't giving up yet but after Uriel's threat to him about turning him to "dust", as he called it, after he wasn't useful anymore didn't help his opinion much.

"Sam, hello" Dean said and snapped his fingers in front of Sam's face. He blinked and looked at Dean, "yeah? Sorry uh, zoned out for a minute".

"I said let's go and check in, if you want to check out this case tomorrow, we should get a day's start" he frowned and gave him a look "you okay? What were you thinking about?".

"Nothing, just zoning out, like I said".

Dean studied him for another second "alright" he said and got out of the car.

As they walked to the entrance, Dean glanced at his brother a few times out of the corner of his eye. Dean knew Sam like nothing else in the world and he could see when he was down and conflicted. When Sam used his power on that Samhain demon, it shocked the crap out of Dean. Seeing that look on Sam's face and the intensity in his black eyes was too chilling. It was like he was seeing a morbid, dark, horror movie version of Sam. Not the doe eyed, adorable smile, emo and compassionate Sammy that Dean had looked out for and loved all his life.

He tried to look at it from Sam's side. Here his brother was, just a baby when that son of a bitch Azazel killed their mother and sprinkled demon blood into his mouth. Sam didn't ask for these powers and had tried a long time to suppress them. Not that Dean wanted Sam to continue, it worried him too much to see Sam go further down this road, but he could see where Sam was coming from when he had told him he wanted to make something good out of what abilities he has.

Also, their desire for one another wasn't fading either.

Dean followed Sam inside to the main office of the motel. Behind the counter stood a girl with jet black hair and pale skin and wearing Goth clothes. Dean looked at Sam and hid a smirk.

The girl cracked her gum "yeah can I help you?"

Dean took out one of his phony credit cards "yeah we'd like a room" He put the card on the counter "with four walls, a ceiling, a floor and two beds, you know the works". Dean gave her one of his winning smiles.

The girl's dark eyes shifted between Sam and Dean "two beds huh?". She picked up the card and snickered "yeah sure".

Dean glared at her and then looked at Sam. His brother blushed

---------

"Well another skeezy motel room" Dean said as he and Sam put their bags on the floor. He took a look around "at least this one doesn't smell like cat pee".

The beds were hard and didn't look too comfortable. The carpet was an ugly green color and the walls were painted black. Quite a mood killer if you asked Sam. He turned back to Dean and watched him as he unpacked his bag. Sam needed to know something about Castiel.

"Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"When I met Castiel, it was pretty obvious that he didn't want to shake my hand".

Dean stopped what he was doing and looked at Sam, "yeah, I uh, noticed that".

"And then he said that I was the boy with the demon blood in him, how did he know about that?".

Sam gave him an inquiring look, Dean raised his hands "wait, you think I told him?" He shook his head "no Sam, I didn't say anything but it's obvious I don't have to, he's an angel, they just know everything, which disturbs me".

Sam frowned "why?".

"Why does it disturb me? Cas knew the exact address where you and Ruby were when you did your little exorcism on that demon, and he knew about…well…he knew about us, that's when he gave me the ultimatum".

Sam smiled bitterly "Right, the dreaded ultimatum".

Dean sat down on the bed and looked up at him "so you see my point? Cas already knows everything, hell he probably even knows what's going to happen with this damn apocalypse, he probably knows which seals are next to be opened, if he can send me thirty years into the past to watch mom suffer and get royally manipulated and screwed with, then he knows".

Sam's expression softened and he walked over to sit down next to Dean "I'm sorry man, I don't know how I could've dealt with seeing mom like that, I probably would have wished I was never born".

Dean looked at Sam surprised "do you really wish that?".

"That I was never born?" Sam answered the question with a question, Dean just stared at him awaiting an answer. But Sam could see it in his eyes. Dean's fear that he would say yes and truthfully, he didn't know what to say.

"I…don't know" he finally said.

"No Sam, don't you dare think anything like that again, you have been one of the few bright spots of my entire life".

Dean grabbed Sam's forearm and squeezed it "I know you're freaked out about these powers you have but you didn't ask for them, you gotta remember that, and I'll admit it, watching you exorcise that demon scared me but I know the goodness inside of you" He put his hand on Sam's shoulder "you're still Sammy, my pain in the ass little brother" Dean smiled softly and gave Sam a light punch against the chest "my weak spot".

Sam took Dean's hand and leaned his head closer to his "what about what Castiel said? That if we…?".

Dean stared hard into his brown eyes, he lifted his free hand and touched Sam's cheek "I don't care anymore, if I mean so much to the man upstairs, he won't let me go back to Hell and if these damn angels can't accept the fact that you've been my number one priority since I was four years old then that's their problem" Dean said as he pushed a couple strands of Sam's hair back from his face.

Sam leaned into Dean and together they both moved back over the bed. Dean wrapped his arms around Sam and closed his eyes. Sam softly kissed the side of Dean's neck and settled his head onto his chest.

"We going to look into this case tomorrow?" Sam asked softly.

Dean gently rubbed the back of Sam's head "let's worry about it then, I'm tired"

"Yeah, me too.."

Dean reached up and turned off the light.

--------------------

The next morning Dean woke up around 7am. He looked down and saw Sam was still asleep. He was on his side and breathing steadily. Dean then laid there for a moment and listened to Sam breathe.

This last night's sleep was the best Dean has had in a long time. He didn't have any nightmares or conflicted dreams about angels or demons, or Sammy. Just holding Sam in his arms was more than what he needed. He reached over and gently brushed Sam's face with the tips of his fingers.

Suddenly, someone appeared at the end of the bed.

Dean shifted onto his back and looked up. As he did he almost groaned "Castiel, what do you want?".

"I need to speak with you" He exchanged looks between Sam and Dean "are you guys comfortable?".

Dean glared at him "I should have told you this a long time ago" He slid off the bed and got right in Castiel's face "Sam is my brother and I would do anything for him, he means more to me than life itself and if you want to go and send me back to hell for loving him, then you go ahead and do it right now".

Castiel's expression stayed blank as he crossed his arms over his chest "I'm not here about that Dean, and I'm not going to send you back, you remember when I told I wasn't sure what was right and what was wrong anymore? I have my orders and they are to follow whatever you decide, like I said Dean, you have a lot of big decisions coming up in the next few months and we need you in this war, that's why I brought you back, because you have potential".

Dean's eyes shifted to the side as he let what Castiel said sink in, he looked back at the angel "what does that mean I have big decisions? Does it have to do with Sam?".

Castiel snapped his fingers and was gone. Dean sat up sharply in bed. He grimaced and looked around the room.

_'A dream, he came to me in a damn dream again'_

Dean glanced at Sam, he was asleep. He let out a breath and ran his hands over his hair in exasperation. Dean had a bad feeling in his gut that these big decisions Castiel was talking about were about Sam and their future. But whatever they were, it didn't matter, Dean was never going to leave Sam. Never.

He settled back down and wrapped his arm around Sam's waist and pressed his body against his. Safe and secure.


	7. Punch Drunk

**Chapter 7: Punch Drunk**

**_Salem, Washington_**

**The bar was crowded and smelled like stale cigarettes and beer. It was a hotspot in town on the weekends. Pool tables were aligned on one side, there was a small dance floor and several tables parked around. People were drinking and yelling at each other over the loud music from the jukebox. An old song from the Rolling Stones was playing.**

**Dean was at the bar of course scoping out the action. He smiled as he noticed a lot of the bar's patrons were women dressed in skimpy outfits and tight fitting shirts and jeans. He reached into his coat pocket and signaled the tender to come over.**

**"Yeah, what else can I get ya?" the tender, a man with spiky black and wearing a white muscle shirt, asked. He looked around Dean's age.**

**"Scotch on the rocks, make it a double" Dean said and slapped five bucks down on the counter.**

**The tender smirked and took the money "alright man but this is your what now? Fourth?".**

**Dean looked up and pretended to count on his fingers, then glared at the tender "The hell do you care? You're getting paid to give out this shit aren't cha?".**

**The guy didn't seem to appreciate Dean's tone but decided to ignore it, he turned away to make Dean's drink.**

**Dean glanced behind him as hazel eyes searched the bar for Sam. His brother had left a little earlier to interview some people about their next hunt. After finishing up the job in Concrete about a magical wishing well that drove the town insane, Dean heard about a possible case in Salem, just two hours away from Concrete. A married couple had been brutally murdered in their home. The woman was gutted and the man's limbs were torn off. The strange thing about it was that all the windows and doors were locked. They had a alarm system and whoever or whatever it was that killed them slipped past all obstacles. It was similar to a case the brothers handled a few weeks ago when a young couple was murdered cult like style in a quaint town in Minnesota. Turned out that it wasn't anything supernatural at all. Just a homicidal maniac killing his own race.**

**Dean looked at his watch as he waited impatiently for his drink. Sam'd been gone for almost an hour now. Not that Dean minded being alone at the moment. He was battling an inner struggle within himself. Ever since he told Sam that he remembered everything that happened to him in Hell, the nightmares had gotten worse. Sam tried to comfort him and Dean welcomed it, but it was starting to get really intense. So much that he wasn't sure even Sam could help him.**

**The night before in their hotel, he and Sammy were sleeping in bed. Sam's arms around him, his mouth pressed close to Dean's ear. The warmth of Sam's body enveloping him. Dean was having a restful sleep for once. Then he heard the screams and felt the burning of the flames. Dean convulsed and started moaning painfully. The sounds woke Sam up, he looked down at Dean and tried to shake him awake. Dean's eyes flew open and he rolled onto his back. The look on Sam's face as he watched his brother was heart wrenching.**

**_"Another nightmare Dean"_ Sam said and gently touched his face, ****_"it's not real."_**

Dean pushed Sam's hands away, **_"I'm fine, just go back to sleep"._**

The tender put down the glass of scotch in front of Dean, shaking him out of his thoughts. He picked up the drink and tipped his head back as he downed half of it. Dean must have drank more alcohol since he came back from the pit than he ever did before. That's what he figured. And Dean was always a drinker too, so that was a helluva lot of alcohol.

**_'Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop drinking'_**

Dean shrugged and took another swig.

----------

Sam pushed his way past a large crowd assembled around the front of the bar entrance and made his way inside. He hadn't been able to find out much from the people that knew the married couple that'd been slaughtered in their bedroom. Just that the couple were newlyweds and had recently bought the new apartment. They had no shady history, no one held a grudge and no possible motive to kill them. This was starting to look like their next job.

Sam spotted Dean right where he left him an hour ago, at the bar. He saw Dean was drinking down a mug of beer. Sam bit his lip as he watched Dean consume the alcohol. When he confided in him that he remembered his time in the pit, Sam was ready to hear everything. He was ready to be there for Dean just like he had been there for him when he was dealing with Jessica's death and having nightmares about her. So when Dean said that he couldn't talk about it and that Sam would never understand, it hurt him. But he couldn't make Dean talk to him. So Sam let Dean know that he was there for him, whenever he was ready and willing.

Sam slept with Dean every night since then. Together they laid together in each other's arms and let the night and the world drift away. Sam could feel sometimes that when he held him, Dean was relaxed and quiet under his touch. Sam would run his fingers through Dean's hair and softly kiss his forehead as their bodies pressed together. It was the most complete Sam had ever felt Not even with Jessica, did Sam feel like this. Sure he had loved her and was even planning to marry her but that was before Dean came back into his life. After Jess died, Sam'd been consumed with hate and revenge. It was Dean that brought him out of that. Being with him and traveling and bonding together through their hunts reminded Sam again of how much he always idolized Dean when he was a kid.

Dean died for him. He went to HELL for him. His desire and love for Dean finally made sense. Sam wasn't going to let him slip away again.

Just as Sam walked up to the bar, a young woman with blond hair stepped in front of Dean. She was smiling and leaned over to whisper something in Dean's ear. Sam stopped in his tracks. Dean laughed at whatever the woman said and whispered something in response. Sam stared hard at them with a sharp tinge of jealousy.

------------------

"So you from around here Dean?" Shelley, the blond woman, asked.

"Oh, there and here" Dean slurred, he was really starting to feel the buzz now.

Shelley giggled "there and here?".

Dean gripped onto the counter as he started to lean backwards "something like that".

His head was swirling and he reached over to touch Shelley's arm, he ran his fingers over her skin "you have very nice skin" he said "do you moist?" he asked with a laugh.

Shelley slid her hand onto Dean's leg and rubbed hard "uh huh, I do a lot more than that too" she said as she leaned her face closer to his.

Dean could smell her perfume and it filled his nostrils. Usually a scent like that would entice Dean but right now, all it was doing was giving him a headache. He stumbled forward and nearly knocked Shelly's drink out of her hand. Some of it spilled on the floor.

"Hey!" she cried and pulled back from him.

"Woops, sorry, lemme buy a new one" Dean said.

Shelley just looked disgusted "ugh, forget it, you drunken bastard".

"Hey, what's with the negativity?".

Dean looked up at the lights above the bar. He cringed as the brightness stung his eyes. He stumbled away from the counter and nearly fell over. He felt arms encircle around him.

Sam was right there and he pulled Dean up. He blinked and looked at him "Hey Sammy! What are you doing here?".

Sam sighed and put his arm around Dean's waist "come on Dean, it's time to go".

"Go? No I don't want to go…"

"Yes were going, you've had enough to drink".

As Sam dragged him out of the bar, Dean closed his eyes and his heart leaped in his mouth. All he could hear was Sam saying "go". Dean didn't want to go, he wanted to be with Sammy. He wanted the nightmares to stop. He didn't want to be a shell anymore.

Dean collapsed against Sam once they were outside. Sam struggled as he pushed Dean down onto a sidewalk bench. He could see the pain and emotion on Dean's face and it tugged at Sam's heartstrings.

"You okay?"

Dean looked up at Sam "I don't want to die again Sammy".

Sam took his face in his hands "you're not going to die Dean, why do you think that?".

"Because…" Dean reached up and clutched onto Sam's jacket "all of this is screaming in my head, the pit and the angels and the damn apocalypse, why is it our job to do this Sammy? Why do we have to be the ones to save the world? Haven't we done enough? Haven't we suffered enough?".

Sam chewed on his bottom lip, he twitched as he sat down next to Dean "because it's our curse".

Dean looked at Sam with glassy eyes, "Oh" he said.

----------------

Forty five minutes later, Sam was helping Dean back into their hotel room. Dean yanked his jacket off and fell onto the bed. He covered his head with the pillows and groaned.

"You want some water?" Sam asked.

"No…" Dean moaned into the pillow.

As Dean laid facedown on the bed, Sam hoped that his little drinking binge tonight would be the last for awhile to come. Dean wasn't going to help himself by constantly taking swigs of scotches and whiskies and beers. And it pained Sam to see Dean like this.

"Dean? You alright?"

Dean lifted his head, his face was red and his hair matted down to his forehead, "oh yeah Sam, I'm just great, I haven't felt this good since that nanny in New York".

Sam shook his head "well you're the one that downed those drinks like they were Snapples"

Dean grunted and pushed himself up. He hung his head down and massaged his temples with his fingers. Sam exhaled his own grunt and laid down on his side of the bed.

"What did you find out about the couple?" Dean asked as he held his head.

Sam fidgeted with the covers "that they were good people and no one had any clue as to who would want to kill them, and judging by the crime scene report we swiped, there was no sign of struggle" He kicked his shoes off, settled back and rested his arms against the headboard "I definitely think this is our kind of gig".

"Terrific" Dean said with mock sarcasm.

He moved over and leaned his head against Sam's shoulder "I'm going to feel like shit tomorrow".

Sam wrapped his arm around Dean's back and pulled him closer "sleep it off" he said and they laid together there for awhile.

"Sam?" Dean asked breaking the long silence.

"Yeah?"

"You were right".

Sam frowned in confusion "About what?"

Dean buried his face in Sam's chest "it is our curse".


	8. Shadow People

Chapter 8: Shadow People

* * *

_Salem, Washington_

Dean kneeled miserably in front of the toilet. He groaned as he held his head down with one arm perched up on the seat. His stomach felt like it was doing cartwheels.

He figured he was going to feel like shit once he woke up that morning. Before he and Sam went to sleep his head'd been pounding like ACDC were playing a rock concert in his brain. Thankfully, he passed out pretty quickly so he snoozed through most of the pain. Though once Sam woke him up to say he was going for coffee, Dean's insides felt like they were tied in knots. He nearly threw up all over himself as he ran to the bathroom. He'd been sitting there ever since.

_'Oh god, I'm never getting drunk again'_

He vomited into the bowl.

-------------------------------

Sam returned holding two cups of coffee and balanced a white container of something on his arm. He closed the door behind him with his foot. He could hear Dean groaning from the bathroom. Sam smirked as he put everything down on the desk.

"Hey Dean I'm back, how you doing in there buddy?"

Dean mumbled something incoherently in response.

"Really? That good huh?".

Sam took off his coat and draped it over a chair. He then opened his cup and sipped the coffee slowly so it wouldn't burn the roof of his mouth.

Sam settled on the bed and thought about the story he heard while he was in the coffee shop earlier. Two women had been talking about a death in one of their apartment buildings.

_"Her roommate found her…the girl's heart was ripped out…"_

_"And there was no sign of struggle?"_

_"Not a one, the alarm was set and the door and windows were locked…the cops have no clue and no suspects.."_

_"Did you know her?" _

_"Not really, I saw her a couple times…god, poor girl, who could get past her alarm and locked doors? Sounds like some kind of whack job.."_

So after Sam left the shop, he drove down to the street where the chaos happened. He couldn't get close though because cops were crawling all over place.

The whole story was too strange, but that was the story of his life wasn't it? Sam sighed as he took another sip of coffee.

The toilet flushed and Dean came out of the bathroom. He held his stomach and slowly sat down on the other bed. He looked at Sam with glassy eyes.

"If I ever mix scotches with beer again, shoot me".

Sam chuckled "alright, I'll keep that in mind".

Dean heaved and collapsed onto his back, he blinked slowly as he looked up at the ceiling. Sam stirred the coffee around with the little straw "so I found out some new information".

"Ohh" Dean moaned "…yeah? Bout what?".

"There was another murder last night, a girl was found in her apartment with her heart ripped out and it was the same story as the couple, her alarm was set and the door was locked, no sign of struggle".

Dean shifted position and laid on his side "Her heart?" he asked bewildered. His expression frowned in thought "so, got any theories on what it is?".

"Werewolf?"

Dean propped himself up on his elbow "No, lunar cycle's not right, spirit?"

Sam stared at the floor thinking, Dean smiled a little as he watched him. Sam had that all too cute pout on his face. He grinned more and sat up.

"Wait…you remember that case in Chicago a few years back? With Meg?".

"…Meg?" Dean repeated and raised his eyebrows in question, "yeah um, she killed that waitress from the bar and another dude".

"Right, but what did she use to kill them?".

Dean thought for a moment, he then looked at Sam "Daevas".

Sam nodded.

"Wait, so you think that's what's going on here? Someone is controlling the shadow demons to kill people?".

Sam shrugged "well I'm not positive but it's really similar isn't it? The bar waitress's heart was ripped out just like the woman from last night, there was no sign of break in or struggle".

Dean took a deep breath "you're right" he glanced at Sam "so if that's true, that means there's a major player in town, and to summon a demon so ancient could only be done by another demon, a powerful one".

"That or a revenant" Sam added.

"Oh, great".

Sam stood up "come on, we should get back to town and find out what more we can".

"Can you give me a few minutes? My stomach's still jumping".

Sam turned back to Dean and smirked "Yeah? Ok.." he picked up the white container from off the desk "I guess you wouldn't want this jelly doughnut I got then?" He opened it and held the container near Dean's face "nice and drippy".

Dean cringed "I hate you" he moaned and ran back to the bathroom.

------------------------------

It was a chilly night as Erika got out her keys to lock the store up. A gust blew against her as she stuck the key into the lock. Her friend and coworker, Alyssa, stood next to her and wrapped her arms around herself despite wearing a heavy winter coat.

"Wow, it's cold out here" she said as her blond hair whipped around her face in the wind. She pulled it back into a ponytail.

"Yeah I know, winter is coming" Erika replied as she put on her blue knit cap.

She made sure the store was locked and then tucked the keys into her coat pocket. Erika was the manager of the town's popular clothing store. She'd been running the store for a few years now and she liked it well enough. It was paying her rent and bills for the time being. Erika lived outside Salem in her own one bedroom apartment. For awhile before she starting working at the clothing store, she was a freelance writer for the local paper. Erika enjoyed that job much more since she was a writer and been so for most of her life. She also got to write about exciting things like local town affairs and breaking stories and such. Erika ended up leaving the paper because of the bad economy and budget cuts. Her boss laid her off. It was things like that got Erika so angry. A job that she loved doing gets taken away from her again. The same thing happened before after she graduated high school when she worked at the university as a professor's assistant. The professor decided to quit after he won a lot of money and that left Erika out of job. So now her work at the clothing store wasn't bad, but it was a step down from her previous employments.

She walked with Alyssa down the dimly lit street. She looked at her silver watch, it was past 10pm and the town seemed deserted.

"Did you see the way that last customer was looking at me?" Alyssa asked "he said he was looking for a shirt for his girlfriend but by the way he was flirting with me, he sure acted like he didn't have a girlfriend".

Erika almost moaned out loud. She was always hearing Alyssa talk about guys with boyfriends or guys that were married hitting on her. She couldn't blame them though. Alyssa was stunningly beautiful. She'd probably hit on her if she swung that way. Erika felt so plain next to her with her short brown hair and mousy figure.

"Yeah I noticed" she said with little enthusiasm.

Alyssa didn't seem to notice, "he was really cute though, I should have asked him for his number" she gushed on.

Erika was tired and not really in the mood for this. So she was glad once they approached Alyssa's car parked along the curb. Alyssa took out her keys and jangled them.

"Hey, you want me to give you a ride to your car? It's parked around the corner right?"

Erika waved her off "no that's okay, it's a quick walk, I'll be fine".

Alyssa shrugged "alright, see you tomorrow?".

Erika nodded "yup, five on the dot".

"You got it" Alyssa smiled and then got into the car.

Erika watched as she started it up and pulled away from the curb. Truth was, Erika would have accepted that ride offer from Alyssa but she couldn't stand listening to her mush about that guy or any guy that she was dating anymore. Erika liked Alyssa enough, she was a nice girl and a great worker. She was one of the best Erika had. But she was too happy, she acted like her life was perfect and that she didn't have a care in the world. She bragged about the loft she lived in and the condos her parents owned and the red sports car she had. Erika hated hearing about Alyssa's glorious life while she was struggling to make ends meet. She wondered a lot as to why Alyssa was even working at the store. If she was so rich and perfect, she could probably open her own store or work somewhere in the city where the more 'prestigious' places were. She did ask her that once and Alyssa claimed it was because she liked the town and the people. It didn't make a lot of sense to Erika.

She started to walk again and looked around at her surroundings. She didn't see a soul anywhere. There were a few lights on in a couple stores but she was on her own out here. That made Erika slightly nervous. She hated that she had to park her car around the block earlier because the streets had been closed off for construction. That'd probably also be why the store was quiet tonight.

Erika hurried her pace, _'just half a block to go'_

Suddenly the wind seemed to grow stronger and blew around her. It howled and swirled. Leaves and garbage scattered across the street. Erika stopped and looked behind her. The lights that were on in those stores were now out. She clutched her jacket and tried to ignore the wind. She walked faster. That's when she heard the scream.

Erika whirled around to look, her eyes wide and frightened. The shadow of a man formed on the wall of the building. The silhouette grew larger and it's arms reached out for her.

The second scream came from Erika's own mouth.

------------------------

The demon had followed the girl since she left the store. It lived inside it's hosts body, a beautiful black haired girl by the name of Nicole, which the demon invaded three days ago. It's black smoke crammed itself down Nicole's throat when the girl left her house, she was on her way to a party. She never made it.

Nicole wanted to have some fun. That's why she summoned the Daevas to wreak havoc on the town of Salem. By theory, Daevas didn't like to be controlled. That's why Nicole had conjured up a pendant with the Zoroastrian symbol on it. As long as she had it, the Daevas were under her control to do whatever she wanted.

First she unleashed the shadow demons on a young, cute married couple. Nicole had discovered them in one of the bars in the city and their sappy happiness together made her sick. So she decided to give them a wedding present, their brutal deaths. Nicole closed her eyes joyfully as she listened to their screams as the Daevas tore them apart.

Next Nicole went after a girl that made her life very difficult lately. She killed the girl that her boyfriend cheated on her with. Well, not the demon's boyfriend, but Nicole's. The demon happened to grow a very strong liking to Nicole so it decided to avenge a wrong in the girl's life.

Now she wanted the mousy looking librarian girl that had no business owning a clothing store dead. Nicole debated on whether or not to kill the perky blond girl instead but she decided that Barbie would get her turn next. It was Nancy Drew's time tonight.

Nicole mimicked a terrified woman's scream and then cupped the Zoroastrian symbol in her hand. She whispered an incantation, the Daevas grew and snarled. The wind picked up and one formed on a building's wall and reached for Erika. The girl's scream was music to Nicole's ears.

----------------------------

Erika tried to run but the Daeva grasped onto her foot and pulled her down. She screamed again as it started to drag her along the ground. Her nails broke from digging into the pavement.

A brilliant white light went on above her and the demon shrieked from the brightness. It blinded Erika so she squeezed her eyes shut.

The Daeva released her and disappeared.

"Hey, you alright?" a male's voice asked.

Erika opened her eyes to see a man with short cropped hair standing over her. She trembled as she looked up at him, "I…I think so".

Dean offered his hand to Erika and helped her up. Sam was behind him holding another flare.

"What the hell was that?" Erika asked in a shaky voice.

"It's better you don't know" Dean said "can you get back to your car?"

"I…yes, it's at the end of the street"

Dean nodded "Alright you go, we'll follow you and make sure you're okay".

Erika was still perplexed and frightened but she didn't ask anymore questions. The brothers stayed behind her as they accompanied her back to her car. Dean leaned in close to Sam.

"You were right, it's that demon girl summoning the Daevas, we going after her?"

Sam shook his head "no, she'll come to us".

Dean frowned "how do you know that?"

Sam kept his dark eyes ahead "I just do".

Once Erika was in her car and safe, Dean watched her drive away. He then turned back to Sam "how the hell can you know she'll come to us?".

Sam looked at him "because were here to stop her from killing anymore people, and trust me Dean, she's coming".

"Wait a minute, you're not planning on using your demonic whatever powers are you?".

Sam didn't answer. He gripped the flare tightly in his hand.

Dean only grew more disgruntled by his brother's silence "No damn it Sam not this time, we have the knife, were using that" he reached into his coat pocket and took out Ruby's demon killing knife.

The wind started to gust, they both looked around sharply. Dean held his flashlight out and aimed it about. He heard a scuffling behind them.

"The Winchesters, here to kill me, I'm honored" said a female voice.

Sam and Dean spun around, Nicole walked into the light wearing a smirk. Dean blinked as he looked at the demon. He didn't know what was more disturbing. That Sam somehow knew that she'd come for them or that he was planning on using his powers.

"Why do you damn demons always possess the hot chicks?"

"Call it a habit".

Sam glared at Nicole with an intense hatred "you're not gonna get away".

Nicole dry laughed "oh I'm not? Because big bad Sam Winchester says so? You think you're some kind of god now because of your powers?" She shook her head "Not in this case Sammy, not even you can stop my Daevas".

She squeezed the pendant and the shadows appeared. They were so fast that Sam and Dean didn't have time to think. They threw them apart and Dean went sailing across the lot. One knocked Sam into the wall and he gritted his teeth as it clawed him across the face. The Daeva held him against the brick.

Nicole grinned as she walked up to him "oh Sam, this is a shame it has to come to this" Her eyes lowered and she looked him up and down "because there's many things that I'd like to do to that body".

Sam tried to grab Nicole's neck, the Daeva snatched his arm back and snaked it's claws across Sam's chest. He screamed out in pain.

Dean struggled to his feet, he saw that Nicole and the Daevas were occupied with Sam so he picked up the knife and ran across the lot. He tried to stab Nicole in the back. However, the shadow demons again were too quick. They grabbed Dean and shoved him to the ground.

Nicole glared down at Dean "Gut him" she told the Daevas.

Dean's arms were jerked behind him. He felt claws dig into his stomach.

Sam dropped down from the wall, he scrambled to pick up the knife. Nicole spun around to face him. Just as she did, Sam raised the knife and stabbed her through the throat.

She gurgled as blood flowed out of her mouth. Sam sneered as he pulled it out. Nicole's body sizzled with orange light. Her lifeless form then collapsed. Sam sucked in a breath and looked down at the corpse. Black smoke trailed from Nicole's mouth.

Dean gasped as the Daevas released him and vanished. Sam yanked the pendant off Nicole's neck. He threw it onto the pavement and stomped on it. It shattered to pieces on his fourth stomp.

Dean sat up slowly and panted as he clutched his stomach. Sam gingerly helped him up. Dean looked at him, four claw marks were scratched across Sam's cheek. He was also bleeding from his chest. He reached up and touched his face.

"Sammy?"

Sam nodded "I'm okay".

Dean looked down at Nicole's body "you used the knife" he said.

Sam exhaled deeply "yeah um, I had to think fast" He wrapped his arm around Dean "come on, let's get out of here".

--------------------------------

Back at the motel, Sam and Dean were tending to their wounds. Sam's shirt was off and he had a couple bandages across his chest. He was lucky that the cuts the Daeva had made wasn't deep and it looked worse than it was. It still hurt like hell though. Now Dean was finishing up on his face. He stitched the final cut and snipped the end off with the tiny scissors.

"Where'd you learn to do this?" Sam asked.

"Dad" Dean said.

Dean grimaced as he moved, the slashes on his stomach were worse than the ones on Sam's chest and Sam was worried that Dean might need stitches. He suggested that they go to the hospital but Dean waved him off. He said that he would be fine, he's had worse injuries before and survived.

"Alright" Dean said softly, he wiped the remaining blood off Sam's cheek with the gauze and then gathered the first aid kit up. He put everything back on the desk.

"Ow, shit" he moaned as he moved and grabbed his stomach.

Sam quickly was at his side "Dean, please, let me look at you".

"I'm fine Sammy really".

"Would you stop being a stubborn ass for once and let me look?"

Dean grumbled "alright, fine".

Sam slowly sat Dean onto the bed and gently lifted his shirt up so he could check out the wound. Dean wasn't bleeding but the cuts looked nasty.

"See? Told you, I'm fine".

"No you're not, you need stitches".

Dean sighed "can we go tomorrow then? I'm too beat to even think".

Sam gave him a look, when Dean got like this he knew he wasn't going to win. He got back up and grabbed the kit "Fine, but at least let me put some bandages on it until then".

Dean mumbled his agreement.

He pulled his shirt off slowly and Sam bit his lip as he watched him. Dean's muscular pectoral region was enough to make his heart skip a beat. Dean was having the same feelings too when he looked at Sam's body.

Dean laid back as Sam bandaged his wounds. He winced as he moved and Sam was careful that he wasn't leaning on Dean too much. Dean reached up and ran his fingers through Sam's soft hair. He closed his eyes as he worked on him.

"Done" Sam said ten minutes later, he looked at Dean and smiled gently "better?"

Dean slid his hand up and down Sam's bare back "much" he said.

Goosebumps formed on Sam's arms and he tingled below the waistline. He put the first aid kit aside and settled next to Dean "good but tomorrow you're going to the hospital, I don't care what you say".

Dean smirked slightly "deal".

With their naked torsos touching, Sam was getting even more hard. Dean pulled Sam closer and kissed him softly, Sam's eyes blissfully fell closed. He deepened it and their mouths moved together in a passionate kiss.

After the night they had, the boys deserved it.


	9. Brothers On A Hotel Bed

Chapter 9: Brothers On A Hotel Bed

* * *

"_...Lilith's head on a plate, bloody"_

_Dean could see the blood on Sam's hands. He looked up at his face. Sam's eyes were cold and dead. There was no emotion in them, no feeling. His hair was disheveled and shaggy. His bangs were matted down to his forehead. Dean didn't even recognize Sam anymore. _

_His brother looked as if he didn't care. His cheeks were red and his lips were black. _

"_Sam? What's wrong with you?"_

_Sam started to laugh, he reached out his hand and Dean was thrown back into the wall._

"_Nobody's possessing me Dean, this is what I'm going to become, this is what I want to become"._

_Dean gritted his teeth and tried to fight. Sam approached him and placed his hand on Dean's shoulder. His eyes were yellow._

"_And there's nothing you can do about it"_

_Dean's eyes widened "Sam…no.."_

_Sam grabbed his neck and started to squeeze._

_Lilith's voice suddenly rang out above them…"Ba boom! Ba boom! Ba boom!"_

_Sam brought his mouth close to Dean's ear "didn't I tell you Dean? I want her head on a plate, dripping thick drops of blood, I want to swim in it and swallow it all whole…"_

Dean shook awake. He blinked and gazed up at the ceiling. Sam's arm was draped over his bare chest. Dean looked at him, he was still sleeping. He slowly moved Sam's arm off and then sat up. He winced and held his stomach. He looked down at the bandages. Fresh blood had seeped through the material. Dean muttered a curse as he gingerly stood up.

He walked over to the mirror and studied himself. Dean kept his hand on his stomach as he turned slightly. Castiel's hand print was still burned into the skin of his left deltoid.

Dean reached up and lightly tugged at his amulet. Visions of that dream played again in his mind. He squeezed his eyes shut as if trying to push it away. He turned away from the mirror and rubbed his hand over his face.

What the hell had that dream meant? It was nearly as disturbing as his dreams about the pit. Dean shuddered, he never told Sam about his hallucinations when he had the ghost sickness. And it wasn't until now that Dean realized how much Sam's wish back at that wishing well spooked him.

"Dean?"

He turned around at Sam's quiet voice. Sam was sitting up, he looked tired and worn.

"Sam, hey" he said.

Sam rubbed his eyes "what are you doing?".

Dean looked around uncertainly "um, I was just getting a drink of water".

Sam pulled the covers back "oh, well…come back to bed".

"Sure, in a sec".

Sam's eyes went buggy when he saw the blood that had stained through the bandage "Oh no", He quickly got up and stopped in front of Dean "you were bleeding".

"It's okay, just a little blood".

"Let me look" Sam said.

He pulled the bandage back slowly to inspect the wound. It wasn't too much blood but the cuts looked just as nasty as they did the night before.

"Alright, let's go, I'm taking you to the hospital".

Dean shook his head and pushed Sam back "whoa wait a minute, let's slow down okay?"

Sam gave him a strange look "Why?".

Dean chewed on his lip, he didn't answer. Sam's look changed to concern. Dean seemed really anxious.

"What's wrong? Did you have another nightmare?"

He took an uneasy breath "yeah, something like that".

"What happened?"

Dean moved away and sat down on the bed "I need to ask you something".

Sam reached for him "Dean, we need too…"

Dean pushed his arm away "Sam please! Can I get this out first?".

Sam stepped back, caught completely off guard "okay" he said softly "what is it?".

He shifted position on the bed "Back in Concrete, when we were at the wishing well, you said you wanted Lilith's head on a plate" Dean lifted his eyes to Sam's "was that the only thing you could think of?".

Sam frowned, confused "What do you mean?"

Dean sighed "I mean, was that all you could wish for?".

Sam looked at him in disbelief "are you serious? She killed you Dean, I watched as she ripped you to pieces, if anything, you're the one who should have been wishing that".

"That's not the point Sam, yes I want the bitch dead but what I'm asking you is that you couldn't wish for anything else? Like a normal life? To go back before all this madness started? You still don't want to be some hotshot lawyer for Stanford and have a white picket fence family with Jessica?".

Sam's expression fell, he lowered his eyes and broke as he let Dean's questions sink in.

He hadn't thought about any of those things for years. From time to time he did think about Jessica, but Azazel was dead. Her death has been avenged for.

Sam didn't want a normal life anymore, he embraced his fate as a hunter. And in doing so, he'd become more close with Dean than he's ever been his entire life. He was with Dean. He had him completely now. He couldn't live without him.

"No, I don't want any of those things, it's not who I am"

Sam sat down next to Dean "I'm not the guy you fetched from Stanford, I don't want to be normal, this is my life and my purpose for living, to kill evil bastards and save lives" He reached for Dean's hand and squeezed it "And to do those things with you, you made me who I am today Dean".

Dean's face filled with emotion as he looked at Sam, he swallowed hard and gained his composure back "me too Sammy".

Sam smiled at him "Now, can I take you to the hospital?".

Dean rolled his eyes "yeah, let's go".

--------

Later on that day, Dean and Sam walked out of Salem University hospital after spending three hours in the ER. Dean was in a huff. He hated hospitals, they did not work together. And after waiting two in a half hours to get stitched up, he was in a bad mood. Though the nurse that stitched him up had been pretty cute.

"So do you feel better now Sam? I'm good as new"

"Well I'm glad you're stitched up, but for as long as we waited, I could have done it myself".

Dean stopped and gaped at him "you tell me that now?!".

Sam shrugged innocently. Dean grumbled and pulled the car keys out of his pocket.

"Maybe I should drive" Sam said.

"Why?" Dean snapped.

"Geez Dean, just because you're in a pissy mood don't bite my damn head off".

"I'm sorry, it's just, I hate hospitals".

"Yeah I can see that"

They got into the Impala. Dean winced as he got in and pulled his arm over his stomach again.

"The nurse said to take it easy for a few days".

"I'll be fine".

Dean reached over Sam to open the glove compartment. He pulled out his flask and took a swig. Sam watched him. He sighed and then looked out the window. Dean licked his lips and screwed the cap back on the flask.

He glanced at Sam "what?" he asked.

Sam kept his gaze on the window "something's been bothering me" he said.

Dean smirked "what is it this time? Crazy white folk?".

"No man, I'm serious"

Dean cleared his throat "sorry, what?".

"That girl I killed last night".

"Who? The demon?"

Sam looked at him "not the demon, the girl it was possessing. I could have used my powers and exorcised the thing and then maybe she'd be alive right now".

"Sam, you said it yourself, you had to think fast, she was going to kill me and who knows if that girl's body was even alive? She could've been a corpse".

"Yeah, but we don't know that".

Dean placed his hand on Sam's shoulder "look, you saved me okay? I'm sorry about the girl, I really am, it sucks but we can't forget here, were at war".

Sam stared down at his hands "yeah I guess you're right".

"Of course I am"

Dean started the Impala up and left the forsaken hospital behind.

---------

They were finally out of Washington and well through the next state. It became really late however and Dean was growing sleepy at the wheel. Sam was already asleep in the passenger seat.

An hour later, they were dropping their bags on the floor of their motel room for the night. Dean slipped out of his jacket and tossed it on the floor. Sam stood close and watched him.

"How you feeling, wait don't tell me, fine"

"Yep" he said.

Sam smiled and came up behind Dean, he slipped his arms around him "you know last night, when you kissed me…"

Dean's lips played in a small grin "Yeah? What about it?"

"It was amazing".

"I have that affect on people"

He turned around to face Sam, who looked deep into his eyes "I meant what I said earlier, you make me who I am".

Dean nodded gently "I know".

Sam looked at Dean's lips, so soft and tempting. He remembered the tenderness of their kiss last night and how it grew in passion. They stopped after a few moments though and fell asleep together.

It's been aching for weeks now, Sam wanted more. He was getting hard again just thinking about it.

To his surprise, Dean put his hand over his crotch.

"I'm ready Sammy" he whispered.

Sam pulled Dean close and kissed him hard. Dean grabbed his face and pressed their hot bodies together. He helped Sam pull off his shirt and they fell back on the bed kissing each other hungrily. Sam was more careful when he took off Dean's shirt because of the stitches but Dean didn't care. He wanted Sam and he wanted him now.

He unbuckled his pants and pushed them down. Sam covered Dean's chest with hot and wet kisses. He ran his hands up and down Dean's body. The muscles flexed in his arms.

Soon they were both stripped down to their boxers. Sam's cock was throbbing and pulsating. A month and a half of suppressed desire and intensity had reached it's boiling point.

Dean rolled onto his stomach and Sam yanked his boxers down exposing his bare ass. Dean gripped onto the sheets as he felt Sam's hardness. It only made him sweat more. He shut his eyes tightly and groaned as Sam pushed inside of him.

They made love that night. Roughly, madly, and completely.


	10. My Confession

Chapter 10: My Confession

* * *

"I wish I couldn't feel anything Sammy, I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing".

Sam's heart was breaking in two as he listened to his brother's confession. The pain in his voice was more than Sam could bear. Never in his 26 years had he ever heard such emotion and distress in Dean's words.

Sam listened as Dean finally told him what happened to him in Hell. Dean forced back his sobs as he spilled every detail. Every horrific thing he saw and every horrific thing he did down there. Two free tears escaped and trailed down his cheeks. It was seldom when Dean Winchester cried but right now, there was no way that he could hold anything back. Everything he bottled up inside, all the memories, all the hatred and all the pain came rushing to the surface. It was all Dean could do to not slip off the hood of his Impala right now and shrink to the ground.

Sam closed his eyes and gripped the beer bottle in his hand so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He didn't want Dean to look at his own pain. The horror and guilt he felt that because he died, Dean sacrificed himself and went to Hell so that Sam could live. Everything Dean went through and did in the pit was because of him. But he couldn't let Dean turn around and see that. He had to be strong. He had to be there for his brother. His soul mate.

Sam reached up and put his hand on Dean's shoulder "Dean, listen to me" he said softly "it's not your fault, you held on for as long as you possibly could have, the demons down there, they made you do this, they're the ones you should be blaming, not yourself".

Dean shook his hand and wiped his cheeks free of tears "no you don't understand Sam, it is my fault, and I don't know how much longer I can live with this darkness hanging over my head.." and for the first time Dean turned so he could look at Sam "that's what I hear in my nightmares, their screaming, their agony, all because of me…you have no idea what I did to them".

Dean's eyes were red and his cheeks tear stained. Sam swallowed hard and he released the bottle, it clanged as it hit the ground and rolled away. He grabbed Dean's shoulders and brought him close "No you're right I can't understand what you went through but despite that, God obviously believes in you" He took Dean's face in his hands "he sent Castiel to pull you out of Hell, and it doesn't matter what you did down there, they forgive you" Sam gently stroked his cheek with his thumb "it's time you forgive yourself".

Dean trembled under his brother's touch. He leaned in instinctively, something that had come so naturally to him when it concerned Sam, and gently put their foreheads together. He wanted to forgive himself, so much that it quivered his very soul. But every day he heard the screams and the ripping of flesh, the burning heat of the flames and the hot tips of poker he drove through their bones. Dean couldn't forgive others that did those horrors to people, so how could he ever forgive himself?

He pulled away from Sam and reached into his pocket for the car keys "I don't want to talk about this anymore, let's go" he said. He finished the rest of his beer and then tossed the bottle aside.

Sam blinked, their moment was gone and Dean was already getting into the car.

"Dean…"

Dean gave him a look "I said let's go Sam".

He slammed the door shut and started the Impala up. Sam took a frustrated breath and ran a hand through his hair.

He didn't want to let this go, he wanted to make Dean see that he should forgive himself. But he couldn't force such a thing. It was Dean's decision and his alone.

Sam reluctantly got into the passenger side, Dean drove away and they rode back to their motel in silence.

------------

That night Sam was laying on his bed in their motel room. Dean'd gone out to pick up their Chinese take out they had ordered earlier.

Since their heavy session that morning, Dean hadn't said much for the rest of the day. Sam tried once more to bring the subject up but Dean blew him off. He told Sam that he said what he needed too and that he didn't want to talk about it again.

Sam decided to let it drop for now. And now that Sam was alone and had time to think about it. Was he really glad now that Dean had finally told him about what he did in Hell? Sam wasn't sure if it was easier now that he did know. Hearing Dean talk about his being getting ripped apart and tortured torn Sam up inside.

And it wasn't just that, all of the events from the past couple days were also weighing heavy on Sam's mind. His own confession to Dean about what he did in the four months that he was dead. Though, he hadn't told Dean everything. There was still that one secret he kept, the thing Ruby had brought up the night before. Sam's powers were floundering, she said he needed to do it to strengthen them again but he refused. There was no way he could go back to the dark, empty shell he was while Dean was gone. He'd rather die first.

And then there was the battle with the angels and the demons. Sam still couldn't believe he and Dean had survived it. After Anna regained her grace and became an angel again. She burned the demons out and returned to her place in Heaven. Castiel and Uriel left after that. Sam had a feeling that bringing the two enemy sides together would end the struggle, despite nearly being killed in the process. What he hadn't known was that Uriel had appeared to Dean in a dream and offered him a choice of either killing Anna or killing Sam. Dean chose Sam over Anna.

Even through the battle, Sam saw that there was something going on between Dean and Anna. When Anna kissed him before going towards the angels, he felt angry and conflicted. And Dean hadn't seemed too resistant. Sam wanted to know if something more happened with them then just that kiss. And if it had, the betrayal would hurt Sam more than anything else.

A week had passed since he and Dean made love that night in the most cheapest motel they had stayed at in some time. But it wasn't the location that mattered. It was the experience and the absolute passion they had shared. Sam thought about it constantly and when he asked Dean the morning after he had said the same thing;

"_I'll never forget it Sammy...there are no words for how I feel right now.."  
_

And it wasn't until Sam saw Dean and Anna kiss that he started to doubt things. He thought it meant as much to Dean as it did to him. That what they had together was something sacred and untouchable.

Sure Sam always knew that Dean was a skirt chaser. But he was never really serious about the women he slept with. It was never more than a few nights that he stayed with one. The only time Dean said he was serious about someone was that girl Cassie that they met a few years ago. But that was the thing, it was years ago and Dean hadn't mentioned Cassie once since then.

As for Sam, Ruby had tried to sleep with him. One evening after Sam failed to exorcise a demon, Ruby killed the thing with her knife. Later on, Sam was angry and depressed. He was drinking hard and popping pills. Ruby claimed that she knew how hard it was for Sam to be living without Dean. She then threw herself at him and kissed him. Sam pushed her violently away into the wall. He wiped his mouth and felt like vomiting. He couldn't believe that a demon just violated him. He told Ruby to get the hell out after that.

Maybe Sam was sick with grief, but he hadn't lost his mind.

Now since Dean had come back to him, Sam felt that he was his completely now. That everything that happened in the past was just a memory.

Sam needed to know though, did Dean really do something more with Anna? That question was killing him now. He looked at his watch impatiently.

--------------------

At half past eight, Dean came back holding the Chinese take out and a keg of beer in his arms. He closed the door with his boot and put everything down on the table. He pulled off his leather coat and dropped it over a chair.

Sam was laying on the bed with his back pressed against the headboard. His laptop was resting on his lap as he clicked away through various sites in search for their next case. Dean glanced at him as he started to take out the food from the bags "Hey, find anything interesting?" he asked.

"Not yet" Sam said, his voice seemed tinged with annoyance.

Dean frowned "what's wrong?".

Sam closed the laptop and looked at him "did you sleep with Anna?".

Dean froze in mid bagging "...what?".

Sam put his computer aside and got up from the bed "you heard me" he said.

Dean took a deep breath and nodded slowly "yeah…I did".

The revelation hit and Sam felt like he'd been punched in the stomach. He looked at Dean as emotion filled his face "why?" he demanded.

"Sam look, she came to me and I didn't know what was going to happen to us" He sighed and forced himself to look at Sam "I thought we were going to die man, and she was there and she told me she knew what I did in Hell and she seemed to understand it and then…it just happened".

"Just happened?" Sam asked in disbelief "what about us? Did that just happen too?".

The hurt in Sam's eyes was more than Dean could stand, he turned away from him "No it wasn't like that, you know what it meant to me Sam and you know what you mean to me! I chose you over Anna, I would choose you over anyone!".

Sam shook his head "But for you to go and sleep with her after me…there's no excuse for it Dean, I thought you changed" He walked across the room and grabbed his coat "I thought we changed".

Dean watched as Sam put his jacket on "hey, where are you going?".

"For a walk"

"Sam please…I'm sorry"

"Yeah, me too"

Sam walked out and slammed the door behind him.


	11. Smashed

Chapter 11: Smashed

* * *

Dean winced at the harshness of the door slamming. He wanted to go out after Sam but he didn't, Maybe Sam needed a walk to cool himself down. Maybe when he came back they'd be able to talk things out.

_'What am I nuts? Talk things out? He hates me right now'_

Dean couldn't blame him. He hated himself for how much he hurt Sam. He was going to tell him about sleeping with Anna but he was trying to find the right time. But then when was going to be the right time? Tonight? Tomorrow? A week from now? Driving along in the Impala?

Dean dropped down on the bed and covered his face with his hands. Before Anna came to him that night, all Dean kept thinking about was what did this battle hold for them? Truthfully he didn't think he was going to survive it. And then Anna was there. At the time it made sense.

He was thinking about Sammy. That's why he took off his amulet before doing the deed with her. Every time Dean touched that charm, it reminded him of close Sam is to him.

He regretted it now, he wished he hadn't slept with Anna. But Dean honestly thought he wasn't going to get out of the fight alive. He figured it didn't matter. That's why he finally told Sam about what he did in Hell. Because of the fact that they survived the battle. After everything Sam went through for him.

Dean always wanted to confide in Sam about it but he was too afraid to talk about the horrible things he did down there. But Sam deserved to know. He told Dean about what he did in the four months he was gone. He figured it was time to confess as well. And he was glad he did, despite how much it ripped him up inside to relive the torture, But when Sam put his hand on Dean's shoulder and pulled him close, it touched Dean more than his brother would ever know. But being the man he was, he wasn't one for 'chick flick' moments, so he pulled away.

He stared hard at the door for a long moment. Sam was going to have to come back at some point.

Dean got up and grabbed a beer from the keg. He unscrewed the cap and took a swig. Just then the rock tone on his cell started to go off. Dean frowned as he crossed the room and picked up his phone. He didn't recognize the number on the tiny screen. He paused for a second and then flipped it open.

"Hello?"

A woman's voice greeted him _"Dean? Is this Dean?"_

"Uh…yeah, whose this?"

_"Hey Dean, it's Pamela Barnes"_

"Pamela? Hey, what's going on?"

_"Not much, I called Bobby and he's still working that job in the Caribbean so he gave me your number, I have kind of a problem"._

Dean sat down in a chair "alright, what's up?"

Pamela took a deep breath on her end _"Well, it's really more my friend's problem but were really close and she needs help, the thing is there's something in her house and it's haunting her, she thinks it's the ghost of her dead husband who killed himself about an year ago, so it's like a restless spirit kind of thing"._

Dean listened closely and waited for Pamela to continue on "..okay.."

_"Anyway, he's gotten violent so far as to even throwing her down the stairs, she's staying with me right now but to get rid of this thing you've got to salt and burn the bones right?"_

"Yeah, that's usually how to put a spirit to rest"

_"Well hell I'd do it myself but she's afraid to be alone and she doesn't want to go anywhere near his grave"_ she sighed _"so would it be too much trouble to ask if you and Sam could come out here?"_

"No I suppose not, it'll take us about half a day's drive to get out there"

_"That's fine sugar, I'm real sorry to put you out but I don't know of any other hunters local and my friend is absolutely terrified"_

Dean nodded "it's okay Pam, we'll do it, we need something simple after the crap we went through with the damn angels vs. demons death match"

_"I figured, so I'll see you handsome fellas tomorrow?"_

"Yeah, I'll give you a call once were nearby"

He could hear the smile in Pamela's voice _"thanks hun, this really means a lot, I'll talk to you tomorrow"_

Dean hung up and tossed his cell onto the bed. Sam came in a moment later. He barely looked at Dean as he took off his coat.

"I got us a job" Dean said and looked at Sam's back, who gave him no acknowledgment.

Dean wrenched his hands together in tension "Pamela called, she needs our help with a friend of hers".

Sam kept his back to Dean "what's the job?" he asked coldly.

Dean closed his eyes with a sigh "her friend is being haunted by the spirit of her dead husband, she asked us to come out and burn the corpse".

Finally Sam turned around to look at him "why can't she do it herself?".

"Because she asked us too, she did us a favor so we owe her one".

Sam shrugged "fine, whatever". He began to unbutton his flannel "when we leaving?".

Dean watched him "tomorrow I guess".

Sam threw his flannel on his bed, he wore a white t-shirt underneath and he never looked at Dean again.

He wasn't going to take this cold behavior from Sam.

"Sam, can we talk about this please?"

"Talk about what? We have a job to do, so let's go do it".

"That's not what I mean"

Sam glared at him. Dean crossed the room and reached for his arm, Sam recanted and backed away from him. Dean looked at him helplessly "don't shut me out man".

"Don't shut you out? What do you want me to do Dean? Just accept your apology and pretend like everything's okay?".

"No, that's not what I said".

Sam shook his head "it doesn't matter".

Pain glinted in Dean's eyes, and Sam wanted to look away because seeing that look on Dean's face tugged at his heart. He wanted to wrap his arms around Dean and hold him and pretend that everything was alright. But it wasn't. And he couldn't shake the image of Dean and Anna out of his head. Not yet.

"I need time" Sam said.

Dean's expression fell, but if that's what Sam wanted, then that's what he's going to get. There was nothing else he could do now.

------------------

The next day the brothers were back on the road, driving to Pamela's place in Indiana. They were already halfway through Ohio so Dean figured they'd reach their destination within four hours or so.

He wished the trip was going to helluva a lot shorter. He and Sam hadn't said much to each other during the ride. Dean tried to make conversation but Sam always gave him short answers. The tension Dean felt from him could be cut with a knife.

Dean mumbled under his breath as he leaned his foot on the gas. How much longer was Sam going to give him the cold shoulder? Dean hated when they fought and he hated even more when they practically weren't speaking at all. Just like this. He looked at Sam, he was reading a newspaper that he had spread out in his lap. Dean wanted to lighten up the situation so he started to sing the first song that popped into his head, very off key by the way.

_"Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game…On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame …Turning and returning to some secret place inside ..Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say..Take my breath away…"_

Sam raised his eyebrows and looked at Dean like he was buckets of crazy. Dean patted on the steering wheel to the invisible beat as he sang.

"Seriously?" Sam asked.

Dean stopped singing and shrugged "Yeah, it's putting me in a good mood"

Sam had no idea what to say after that one.

_"Take my breath away…" _Dean continued.

"Dude, you thinking about Tom Cruise or something?".

Dean abruptly stopped and looked at Sam "No, I'm thinking about Kelly McGillis actually"

Sam tried hard not to but he cracked a grin at that "yeah I bet".

He chuckled and smiled at Sam, who smiled back at him.

Dean felt good again. He knew this would work.

-------------------

Marissa Sanchez's life has been hell for over two years. It was almost a year to the date that her husband shot himself in the mouth in their bedroom. And now the bastard has come back and was haunting her.

Marissa and Jeremy's marriage started out like the perfect fairly tale. She met him at her job at the health clinic. He was an orderly and she was the secretary. They flirted and hinted at each other that they liked one another. At the time though Jeremy had a girlfriend. He broke it off with her once he found out she was cheating on him. Marissa asked him out a few weeks later.

They got married five months after they started dating. Moving fast maybe but Marissa fell in love with Jeremy instantly. It wasn't until over a year into their marriage did things start to take a nasty turn.

Jeremy started drinking and he showed a side to him that Marissa had never seen before. He was loud, obnoxious and abusive. He called Marissa ugly and fat and that he regretted marrying her. It soon turned physical after that.

One evening Jeremy came home from work completely drunk, Marissa told him that she had enough of his drunken behavior and that she was leaving him. Jeremy screamed at her and then pushed her into the wall. The back of Marissa's head snapped back causing whiplash. Jeremy then picked her up by her hair and slapped her. Marissa started crying and she shouted at him that she hated him. Jeremy told her he was going up to their room to kill himself. Marissa said go ahead. So Jeremy did, he went up the stairs, retrieved his gun from the closet that Marissa had no idea he owned, put the barrel into his mouth and pulled the trigger.

Marissa tried so hard not to feel guilty over her husband's death. Part of her had even been glad that he was dead. That she didn't have to deal with his destructive behavoir anymore and cry herself to sleep every night. But it still hurt, she did love the man at one point and their marriage crumbling like the Berlin wall broke her heart.

It took several months but finally Marissa felt like she was moving on with her life. She got a new job as a waitress and was making a lot of money. That was when the hauntings started. It was just noises at first. Bumps in the walls, doors shaking; things like that.

Soon though it got worse, a lot worse.

One night Marissa woke up and went to get herself a drink of water. As she walked into the hallway she saw the ghost of Jeremy appear right before her. She lurched back with a scream as she watched Jeremy raise his gun and put it in his mouth. Blood splattered on the wall and his corpse collapsed. The blood then vanished as did his body.

The following evening Marissa was watching TV when the screen suddenly went fizzy. The lights then started to flick on and off and a screeching rang throughout the house. Marissa tried to cover her ears but the screaming got so loud. It was like nails scratching on a chalkboard.

Jeremy's ghost wouldn't let her sleep. He would shake the bed so much that Marissa fell out of it. Red liquid dripped down her walls and her toilet over flooded with disgusting black water.

Marissa tried to leave, as soon as she reached the stairs an invisible force grabbed her and shoved her violently. She stumbled and then she felt fingers wrap around her arm and she was thrown down the steps. Marissa hit her head hard and broke her wrist.

She knew it was Jeremy, he was trying to kill her.

She bolted after that and retreated to Pamela's place. She and Pamela have been friends for years so Marissa knew she could trust her. She was too scared to go back to her home because she knew Jeremy was there waiting for her. Pamela tried to help, she said that if they went to Jeremy's grave, dig him up and burn his corpse that his spirit would die. Marissa couldn't believe it and there was no way she was going to the bastard's grave. He would stop them. He would hurt Pamela and then go after her. She'd be dead before they even touched the shovel.

So Pamela said that they she would call some friends of hers. She said that they were experts in this area. Marissa never was one to believe in the supernatural, but that was until then she was being terrorized by the ghost of her psycho dead husband.

Now Marissa was sitting in Pamela's living room flipping through channels on her flat screen television. She heard the front door close and looked over. Pamela came into the room holding out her cane in front of her. She wore a dark pair of sunglasses.

Pamela said she lost her sight from an earlier job months before. Marissa never heard the details of the situation because Pamela said that she didn't want to discuss it.

Marissa got up and crossed the room "hey Pam, you need help?"

Pamela waved her hand "nah I'm fine sweetie, thanks".

The psychic found the couch and sat down slowly. Marissa reclaimed her spot and turned off the TV.

"So the guys should be here within the hour, Dean said they'd arrive around four or so" Pamela said.

Marissa looked at the clock on the wall, it was almost three. She took a breath and tucked a strand of her blond hair behind her ear "you really think they'll be able to help?".

"I know they will" Pamela reached over and put her hand on Marissa's knee "everything will be okay Mariss, you'll be able to go back home soon".

Marissa placed her hand over Pamela's "I hope so".

She really did. She didn't know how much longer she could live in fear.

--------------------

Dean pulled in front of Pamela's one story house. He looked out the window at her small property.

"This is it?" Sam asked.

"Yup" Dean replied and put the Impala in park.

They got out of the car and walked up the front pathway that led to the porch. Dean leaned over and knocked on the door. Sam stood behind him with his hands in his jean pockets.

The door opened and there was Pamela, still looking strong and beautiful despite the cane and sunglasses. She smiled as if she could see the brothers.

"Sam? Dean?"

"Hey, yeah it's us"

"Of course I know it's you, I can smell your cologne"

Sam and Dean looked at each other "we uh…don't wear cologne" Sam said awkwardly.

"Oh you don't?" she laughed "come on in".

She moved aside and the boys stepped over the threshold. Dean turned to her as she closed the door "how you doin Pam?" he asked.

"I'm doing okay, can't say the same for Marissa".

"Marissa?" Sam piped up.

"Um, that'd be me" said a voice behind them.

They turned around to see an attractive blond woman, looking to be in her late twenties and wearing a long sleeved white shirt and fitting jeans. Dean took her in appreciatively.

"Sam, Dean, this is my close friend Marissa" Pamela introduced.

"Hi" Sam said with a soft smile.

"Hey" Dean said and extended his hand "I'm Dean, the handsome one".

Marissa took his hand and shook it gently "oh, ok" she replied shyly.

Sam wanted to roll his eyes, he couldn't believe Dean was hitting on this girl already. And right in front of him? After what just happened with Anna?

"So um, you guys think you can help me out?" Marissa asked.

"Well yeah we think so, Pam tells us that your husband's spirit is haunting you?".

Marissa lowered her eyes sadly "yes, terrorizing me is actually a better word".

Sam stepped in "we can salt and burn his bones, that should take care of it, once we do that he'll be gone and at rest so if you can tell us where he is buried, we can get started right away".

"No it's not that simple, he won't let that happen, he'll kill me first"

"What do you mean?" Dean asked.

Pamela raised her hand "Mariss, it's okay, I know what I can do to stop that".

Marissa looked at Pamela confused "what?"

"I can channel Jeremy's ghost, keep him here while one of the boys go out and burn his bones" She turned to Sam and Dean "I need one of you stay here while I do this".

The guys exchanged a look, "um, well okay we got the rock salt" Dean said and then glanced at Sam "you want to go? I'll stay here and keep em' safe".

Sam almost groaned, of course Dean wanted to keep the beautiful girls safe but what could he do? They had a job to do and he could see the distress Marissa was in. Helping her came first.

"Alright" Sam said "but you have to tell me where he's buried".

Marissa shook her head "no I can't stay here while you do that Pamela, I don't want to be anywhere near here if you summon Jeremy!".

Sam reached over and touched Marissa's arm "it's okay Marissa, you can stay with me".

There were tears in Marissa's eyes, she looked at Sam and nodded gently.

Suddenly the walls around them started to shake, they all looked around sharply. Pictures crashed to the floor and the front door slammed shut.

"What's happening?!" Marissa panicked.

"Oh my god, he's here" Pamela said "I can feel his anger"

"No! No! No!" Marissa screamed "I have to get out of here!"

She ran to the front door. Dean shouted after her. Marissa yanked on it but the thing wouldn't budge.

"It's locked!"

The shaking got more intense, Sam and Dean quickly pulled Pamela over and got in front of the girls.

That's when the ceiling started to cave in.


	12. Salt And Burn

Chapter 12: Salt And Burn

* * *

Pieces of plaster came down on top of them. Dean and Sam tried to cover their heads as Marissa continued to yank on the doorknob. Pamela huddled herself against Marissa's back and tugged on Dean's arm.

"Dean! Run into the living room and grab the big red book from off the shelf!"

Dean looked at her for a second and then nodded. He rushed into the living room and quickly searched around for the book Pamela indicated.

"Get me out of here!" Marissa screamed.

Pamela tried to soothe her friend down "Mariss, it's going to be okay".

Cracks spread across the ceiling as it started to come down, one piece fell and hit Sam in the face. He fell back against the wall and touched his forehead. Blood formed from the cut the piece made.

"Marissa…Marissa…" a voice shouted over the noise. It was Jeremy.

Dean came back holding the red book of spells in his hands "what do I do now?" he asked Pamela.

"Go to page 124 and yell the incantation twice".

"You'll never escape me Marissa!" Jeremy threatened again.

Marissa slumped down the door and covered her ears "No! Stop! Please make it stop!"

Pamela felt as she went down and she leaned against Marissa. Sam, who was still dazed from the block hitting his head, slid over and put his arm over Marissa protectively. Dean quickly skimmed the pages to 124 and read over the words printed in Latin.

_"Spiritus in mundus un glorum suarum umitite palatum iram domine, coma dopen oonus cooeam viiono, spiritus in mundus un glorum suarum umitite palatum iram domine, coma dopen oonus cooeam viiono!"_

The shaking stopped and everything was quiet again. They all looked up. Marissa shook as she stood and wrapped her arms around herself. Pamela steadied herself on Marissa's shoulder.

"You okay Mariss?" Pamela asked.

She looked around with wide eyes "I…I guess…what the hell happened?"

"Jeremy's spirit" Sam said "seems like he's trying to stop us from burning his bones".

Dean saw Sam's cut, just above his eyebrow, he went over to him "you're cut" he said and reached up to touch his forehead.

Sam leaned back from him "I'm fine" he said. He looked at Dean for a moment and then turned away. Dean sighed and shook his head slightly.

Pamela adjusted her sunglasses and reached her cane out to touch the floor "sonuva of bitch thinks he can invade my house, I don't think so" she took a couple steps forward slowly "torch this sucker extra good for me boys".

Dean took Pamela's hand to help her step over the damage done to the floor "quick thinking with the book Pam, what is this anyway?".

"It's a book of spells, lore's and different exorcisms, that one I told you to read was created to throw vengeful spirits off their course, at least for the time being".

Dean helped her to the table that was aligned against the wall "I'm going to need it when I summon him again".

Sam and Marissa followed them into the room, he and Dean shared another awkward look.

"Pamela I'm so sorry, I can't believe this is happening" Marissa said, still clearly upset.

"Don't you be sorry, it's not your fault" the psychic replied "were going to get rid of this bastard once and for all".

--------------

Sam and Dean went out to the Impala so Dean could get the necessary things to keep Jeremy's ghost at bay while Sam went with Marissa to dig up the corpse and burn it. Dean opened the trunk and propped the case open. He took out his shotgun and loaded it full with shells of rock salt. Sam put the shovel he retrieved from Pamela's shed into the trunk.

The same tension that Dean was feeling before between he and Sam was brewing again. His little brother barely spoke three words to him since they arrived at Pamela's. Though dealing with Jeremy's crazed spirit was enough to distract both of them.

Dean finished loading the sawed off and looked at the cut on Sam's forehead.

"You should get that patched up" he said.

Sam grabbed some more rock salt shells "I'll live" he replied.

Dean groaned "come on Sam, how much longer are you going to give me this attitude?".

Sam closed the trunk with a hard thud, he turned to Dean "I don't want to talk about it right now, we have a job to do".

"Yeah you're right we do but I need to know, are we okay?".

Sam looked at him for a long moment "no were not" he finally said and with that, he walked back to the house.

Dean muttered a curse, _'Am I trying too hard?_' he thought.

Marissa and Pamela met the guys at the doorway. As Sam studied Marissa, he could see the fear in her eyes. He hated seeing anyone innocent go through a trauma like this. With the things Sam saw everyday it was like his body was numb to it now. But he couldn't forget those who weren't aware of the supernatural. People like Marissa, who didn't deserve this treatment.

"Got what you need sugar?" Pamela asked Dean.

"Yeah I'm ready, you summon the ghost and I'll keep the sucker from getting too far".

Sam nodded "alright, you ready Marissa?".

"I've been ready" she said, she looked at Pamela and put her hand gently on her friend's shoulder somberly.

Pamela took her hand "don't worry about me, I've done this before".

Sam handed the extra shells to Dean and stepped off the porch. Dean watched him for a second, just as he turned to follow Pamela into the house he felt Sam's hand on his arm. He looked back into Sam's soft brown eyes, the same expression that made Dean weak in the knees.

"Be careful".

Dean smiled gently and clapped Sam on the back. Sam's lips twitched in a soft gesture. After Dean disappeared inside, he walked with Marissa back to the Impala.

"So, you and Dean are pretty close huh?" she asked.

Sam gave her a side glance "yeah, he's my brother".

He fished the keys out of his pocket, Marissa stopped to look at him "that cut looks bad, do you have a first aid kit?".

"Um, yeah I do, but it's okay really".

"I've seen cuts like that get infected if they're not treated".

Sam raised his eyebrows intrigued "are you a doctor or something?".

Marissa cracked a smile at that "no, but I used to work in a health clinic so I've patched up a wound or two" she leaned her head to the side as she studied Sam's face "so may I? It'll only take a couple minutes".

Sam's eyes searched Marissa's, they glinted and seemed to smile at him. He bit his bottom lip and nodded slowly "alright".

Sam walked around to the trunk and whipped out the first aid kit. He handed it to Marissa and as she opened he leaned against the Impala. Sam watched her as she took out a small bottle of alcohol and gauze.

"So where is Jeremy buried?"

Marissa sighed "at a cemetery about five miles from here, god I wished I would never have to go back there".

Sam checked his watch "well it's almost five and it'll be night soon and I'd hate to say it but the darker the better, we can worry less about someone stopping us".

Marissa poured a few drops of liquid on the gauze "you wouldn't have to worry much anyway, the cemetery is pretty deserted".

"It is? Why?"

"It's an old place, most of the people buried there died forty or fifty years ago, I thought it was the best spot for Jeremy, forgotten".

She moved in front of Sam and pressed the cloth against his wound. She was very close to him now and Sam could smell the faint scent of her perfume. Marissa's green eyes lowered to his, she offered a light smile "I'm just cleaning it out first".

Sam continued to stare at her. Marissa patted the cut a few more times before withdrawing "it's not too bad, it looked worse than it did".

"That's good" Sam said softly.

She tore apart a pair of adhesive bandages, her hands shook slightly "You know I never believed in this ghost stuff until all this started happening, I mean how is it possible for Jeremy to come back and do the things he's done already? What did I do to deserve this?" Marissa's voice choked as she gently put the bandages over Sam's cut "and it's my best friend's living room that gets destroyed, all because of me".

"Marissa, none of this is your fault" Sam said and placed his hand on her shoulder "and were going to stop Jeremy I promise, you don't have to be afraid anymore".

She wiped the fresh tears off her cheek "yeah, maybe" she replied. Marissa's eyes focused back on Sam, she looked at him faintly and leaned slowly into him "thank you" she whispered.

Sam felt his arm wrap around her back and the reality hit when Marissa's soft hair brushed against his cheek. The reminder of Dean sleeping with Anna and how much that hurt him. He thought Dean valued what they shared together as much he did only to find out that he was wrong. So the timing was perfect, Sam can do the same thing. He could find solace in Marissa and pretend like everything else wasn't real. He closed his eyes as Marissa turned her face toward his…

_'No I can't do this...'_

Sam pulled away and distanced himself from Marissa. She seemed almost as surprised as he was.

Sam yanked the keys back out "I think it's about time you tell me where the cemetery is".

He quickly got into the car and started it up. Speechless and bewildered at what just happened between her and Sam, Marissa climbed into the passenger seat. Sam looked out the window at the house and saw Dean standing in the doorway staring back at him. Or them.

------------------

Dean watched as Sam drove away, he saw everything that happened between Sam and Marissa, and it upset him. So now he knew what Sam felt like didn't he? Dean turned away from the door and headed into the living room where Pamela was already sitting down at the table. He put down the extra shells of rock salt and held his sawed off at the ready. Pamela was whispering a few words softly to herself. Dean took a seat across from her and watched intently.

---------------

An hour later, the time had come.

"Let's do this" Dean said.

"You're ready?" Pamela asked.

Dean cocked the gun "yup".

"Okay then"

Pamela leaned her head down and began to speak in a low voice "Jeremy Sanchez, restless spirit of the dead, I conjure and command you to come forth at once"

The candles that'd been lit blew off.

"I conjure and command you, come forth now"

Lights started to flicker.

"I command you, show me your face!"

The walls began to shake again. Pamela continued on.

"Appear before me at once you bastard!"

A gust of wind picked up, Dean looked up and aimed the sawed off. An inhuman scream filled the house..

"Nooo!"

"You will not leave this sanctuary! It's time for you to die!" Pamela screamed.

Jeremy then appeared, he lashed out at the blind psychic. Dean took a shot and deflected the ghost. Bits of rock salt plastered across the walls. Pamela shouted the phrases on, not even phased by the noises going on around her.

Jeremy streaked across the room, Dean missed the shot.

_'Damn it Sam, please hurry'_

He quickly emptied the shell and shoved another load in.

--------------

By the time Pamela and Dean had begun the spell, Sam was already halfway through digging Jeremy's grave. The tombstone stuffed into the earth read JEREMY SANCHEZ, BELOVED SON, BROTHER AND FRIEND. Sam noticed right away that 'HUSBAND' had been left off the list.

When he and Marissa arrived at the cemetery, she first asked Sam if she could wait in the car. So Sam had agreed, but just as he got out to get the shovel and the salt and lighter fluid, Marissa quickly scrambled out of the car and appeared at his side.

Even now as she watched Sam digging her dead husband's grave, she was still afraid. Marissa swore that she was never going to come back here after Jeremy was buried. But it was better being here than at the house where Pamela was summoning his ghost. She just hoped that her best friend was okay.

Sam wiped the sweat off his forehead, his hair was wet and stuck to his face. He had taken off his jacket and buttoned down blue shirt. So now he was stripped down to his gray dirt stained t-shirt.

"Are you almost there?" Marissa asked.

Sam drove the shovel end into the dirt. He could feel it hitting a hard surface. Sam fought the urge to topple over and pushed himself into smashing through the final layers of dirt. It took him several minutes but finally he had reached the casket. He smashed the dull lid open and he could see the remnants of the rotted skin and bones. Marissa's eyes widened when she saw the corpse and covered her mouth.

"Oh my god"

She turned away feeling like she was about to gag.

Sam sucked in a breath and held out his hand "Marissa you're going to have to work with me here".

She kept her back turned to him "what-what do you want me to do?".

"Just hand me that duffel bag".

Marissa quickly grabbed the duffel and tossed it down to Sam. He zipped it open and dumped out the salt, matches and fluid. He threw the bag back up and then proceeded to douse Jeremy's remains with salt and lighter fluid. It'd been awhile since Sam salted and burned a corpse so it felt good to do something easy for once. Or easy compared to what he's been facing lately.

Sam climbed out of the grave and tossed the shovel aside. He then lit the match, the tiny flame illuminated on Sam's face in the evening air.

"Wait" Marissa said.

Sam looked at her "what?"

"This is definitely going to work?"

"Hasn't failed me yet"

"Then I wanna do it".

She took the match from Sam and for the first time, stared down into the grave "good riddance" she said, raw hatred in her voice "burn in Hell".

Marissa threw it in and everything started to burn. Jeremy's body was blanketed away to dust.

---------------

It was over, after the corpse was torched, Jeremy's spirit vanished from the house. Pamela's voice was running on hoarse and Dean was on his last round of rock salt. Pamela's house looked like a tornado had ripped through it. But the results were for the greater good. Marissa was finally convinced that Jeremy was gone and dead. Whether he was at rest or rotting in the pit, she didn't care.

It was 3AM by the time Sam and Dean were ready to leave. They helped Marissa clean up some of the huge mess left behind. Though Pamela insisted several times that they didn't have too. Dean was ready to take her up on that offer but Sam nudged him and told Pamela that they didn't mind.

"Well boys, I think we can close the book on this one" Pamela said.

"Yeah, thanks for the detour" Dean joked.

They were all standing at the doorway, the Winchesters waiting to bid goodbye for now. Marissa stepped forward and smiled at them "thank you guys, really" she said.

Dean shrugged "no problem".

Sam looked at Marissa and their eyes met, remembering very well what happened with them earlier. Dean caught the gaze between them and silently scoffed to himself.

"You uh, take care of yourselves" Marissa said more to Sam than Dean.

Sam nodded "yeah, you too"

Pamela could sense the tension, she smirked a bit "you know you two are welcome to hang around if you like".

"Uh" Dean scratched his head "thanks for the offer Pam but uh, we gotta hit the road, there's another gig a few states over".

Sam gave him a look like 'there is?' but he didn't say anything.

"Alright, you stay in touch then at least, never know when I might need you again".

Dean smiled and touched Pamela's arm "Promise".

"That means you too grumpy" Pamela directed at Sam.

Sam chuckled "we promise".

The guys gave a final wave as they headed off. Marissa stared after Sam longingly as she watched his tall form settle into the Impala. The car rumbled to life and they drove away.

Pamela wrapped her arm around Marissa's "you and Sam huh? You really liked him didn't you?"

Marissa sighed "yeah, I did".

------------------------

The Impala's headlights were the only lights on highway 54 through Indiana this late at night. Occasionally they passed another car but for the most part, the road was desolate. Dean kept the radio playing at low volume. Sam was staring out the window in his brooding mode.

Dean looked over at Sam, they hadn't said anything to each other in the twenty minutes since they left Pamela's but Dean wanted to know, No, he NEEDED to know where things stood between he and Sammy. Though he'd have to ease into it first.

"So, you and Marissa, sparks fly there?" he asked.

Sam didn't look at Dean, "No" he said flatly.

"No? Sure looked like it".

"Okay fine, maybe there was but you didn't see me capitalize did you?"

Dean shifted his hazel eyes back to the road "why didn't you?".

"Why didn't I what?" Sam asked angrily.

Dean managed to keep a calm tone "take advantage of it, I mean I slept with Anna, which I regret by the way" He gripped the steering wheel tightly "...so…you could have hurt me back by doing the same thing with Marissa".

Sam didn't answer, instead he looked down at his hands. Dean huffed, so they were back to the quiet game again. Well he couldn't make him talk so if Sam wanted it this way, then that was it.

"You want to know why I didn't?" Sam asked after a few minutes of silence.

Dean looked at him warily.

"Because I love you too damn much".

Dean swallowed hard "..Sammy.."

Sam's defenses melted when he heard the emotion in Dean's voice. He took his hand and kissed it softly.

After that, the night wasn't so dark for Dean anymore.


	13. Forgive Me

Chapter 13: Forgive Me

* * *

_It was the first time Sam was having this dream. He was standing on a beach with the gusty wind blowing against his face and through his hair. The water was quiet except for the small waves that rippled against the sand. Sam wore a gray wife beater and black gym shorts. He dug his toes into the sand feeling the grain between them. _

_This was so nice and peaceful. Here he didn't have to worry about angels or demons or spirits or the apocalypse. Here he could just be alone and welcome the serenity of his surroundings. The sun was bright and bathed down on Sam. He opened his eyes as he heard the call of seagulls flying above his head. Sam looked up and watched as they formed a V formation through the puffy white clouds. The sky was as blue as the ocean._

_"Sam?" a woman's voice said behind him._

_Sam turned around at the voice, there standing a few feet behind him were four women. Four women that have passed in and out of his life. Four women he all had feelings for in the past._

_First Sam saw Lori Sorenson, a girl he met three years ago. He and Dean had saved her from a homicidal hook man spirit. She smiled at him gently._

_"Hi Sam, remember me?" she asked._

_Standing next to Lori was Sarah Blake, whom he met several months after Lori. He had shared one passionate kiss with her but their relationship never got further than that._

_"Hi Sam, remember me?" she asked._

_Then there was Madison and Jessica, the two he had shared the most intense and passionate feelings for, He believed at one time that Jessica was his soul mate, until she was taken away from him by Azazel. And Madison, Sam tried so hard to save her. But he couldn't and in the end, he had to kill her. It was one of the hardest things Sam ever had to do. And as he looked at them both now, standing together, tears stung at his eyes._

_"Hi Sam, remember us?" They both said together. _

_What was going on here? Why were the women from his past all standing here together in his special place? _

_"You're probably wondering why were here" Jessica said._

_"We came to see you Sam, you have to make a decision" Sarah added._

_"A decision?" Sam asked confused._

_"Yes, we have all loved you in the past and you need to decide who you want to stay with here in your special place" Madison said._

_Lori stepped forward and reached out to take his hand "I've never forgotten you Sam, I know we only had one kiss but I think about it all the time"._

_Sarah gripped his other hand "I miss you Sam, we still have a chance to rekindle what we started"._

_Madison touched Sam's face "we shared much more than a kiss, we made love, it was the most wonderful experience of my life, we could have that again you know, right here"._

_Jessica was suddenly behind Sam, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her hand against his back "you know who you really want to stay Sam and that's me, we were together for over a year, I was going to marry you and now that can happen" Her blond hair blew gently around her beautiful face "We could wed here and be together forever"._

_Sam was tugged in all four directions, he opened his eyes and saw all four women looking up at him tenderly. Each pair of eyes saying "pick me". But Sam didn't want to pick, all he wanted was to be alone. However, if he absolutely had to choose one girl, it would be…_

_"Sammy"_

_Dean, that was Dean's voice. Sam looked to the distance to see his brother standing not too far away. Dean smiled and gave Sam a tender wave. And at that instant, Sam knew who he truly wanted to be with here in his special place. _

_"I'm sorry" he said to the girls and stepped through them "I care about and miss you all but I don't want to be here with any of you"._

_Dean met Sam and reached out his hands. Sam smiled and took them gently. He leaned in for a kiss…thunder suddenly cracked in the sky above them…the girls screamed and Dean disappeared. Sam was thrown backwards and he cried out Dean's name as he struggled against the waves. He was swept away at sea._

--------

"Sam, wake up!" Dean's voice shouted.

Sam's eyes flew open and he sat up rattled. He was back in the motel room. Dean was sitting at the desk with his feet propped up. He gave his brother a weird look.

"You okay? You were shaking"

Sam pushed back the covers "um yeah, I was just uh, having a strange dream".

"Yeah? Clowns or midgets?".

He ran a hand through his mass of hair "neither, just a dream that's all".

Sam grabbed his water bottle off the bedside table and took a long drink. He swallowed down three gulps and then screwed the cap back on. He looked at the clock, it was five past one in the morning.

"What are you doing awake?" he asked Dean.

"I was waiting for you to get up" he replied.

Sam put the water bottle back in it's spot "why?".

Dean put his feet down and shifted position on the chair to face Sam "I wanted to talk to you about earlier today".

Sam frowned, what happened earlier today? Then it hit him, he and Dean's talk in the Impala. When he had told Dean that he loved him and that was why he didn't pursue anything with Marissa. Afterwards Dean hadn't said much and Sam had fallen asleep. The confession stayed with Sam all day and he thought that he would regret saying it to Dean but he didn't. It was the truth and Sam wasn't going to be ashamed of the truth. No matter how much Dean hurt him.

"What exactly do you want to know?" Sam asked.

Dean paused as he cracked a few knuckles "did you mean what you said?" he then asked.

"What? When I said I loved you? Yes Dean I meant it and I'd thought you knew that by now, I think I've shown you more than enough how much I do".

Dean sighed "it's just…you never said it before".

"Yeah, well I'm saying it now".

The look on Dean's face was worrying Sam, it was as if Dean was scared by his revelation. And it was making Sam nervous, he didn't want this to drive a wedge between them. He needed Dean too much. He didn't want to be play distant with him anymore.

Dean got up and sat down in front of Sam. He took Sam and pulled him closer "I stared Castiel in the face and told him that if he was going to send me back to Hell for loving you, then to do it right then and you know what? He didn't".

Sam looked at him, surprise in his dark eyes "when…when was this?".

"It doesn't matter, what I'm trying to say Sam is that you'll never know how sorry I am for hurting you, and I deserve it, I should have never slept with Anna and there's nothing I can say that can justify what I did but it was a mistake, and it's a mistake I'm never going to make again because I have you here in front of me and I won't let you slip away, my little brother, my weakness" Dean touched his face "you're my everything Sammy".

Sam's face racked with emotion, he reached up and placed his hands on the back of Dean's head. The ends of his fingers tickled his hair.

"The dream I was having" Sam started to say softly "…it was about you" His hand slid down Dean's face and rested on his chest "but they were all there Dean".

"Who was?" he asked.

Sam gripped onto Dean's shirt "Jess and Madison…Sarah and Lori…they were there in my dream, I was on the beach and everything was quiet and then, that's when they showed up, each one asked me to stay with them and I had a decision to make as to who I wanted to be with and you know who I chose?" Sam closed his eyes and tilted his head against Dean's "I chose you".

Dean put his hands on Sam's shoulders "does this mean you forgive me?".

Dean's heart pounded in his chest as he awaited Sam's answer. Instead of speaking, Sam did something more powerful. He kissed Dean so hard and so passionate that it sent shivers throughout his body. Dean responded and soon they were wrapped up in one another.

Sam pushed off Dean's over shirt and yanked off his black t-shirt underneath. Dean helped Sam tear off his own shirt and their hot chiseled torsos pressed together as Sam fell back on the bed. He looked up at Dean with an erotic gaze as he clutched onto his brother's amulet. Dean wasn't going to take it off this time.

Dean's hands slid over Sam's pecs and he trailed them down his sides. The light above them shined off of Dean's naked back. Both guys shrugged out of their jeans and added them to the pile of clothes on the floor. Dean's tongue slipped past Sam's lips and he gripped onto his cock. It was hard and nearly bulging out of his hand. His own was throbbing with want and need.

"God Dean…" Sam muttered.

Dean then proceeded to give Sam the blowjob of his life. Every nip, every bite, every hard suck and swirl of the tongue drove Sam wild. He exploded into Dean's mouth.

Sam panted and quickly shifted onto his stomach and the sight of Sam's bare back nearly made Dean cum right there. He licked his palm and made sure the rim of Sam's tight hole was wet. He then pushed his pulsating dick through. Sam groaned as he felt it.

He shut his eyes tightly and gripped onto the sheets as Dean rode him.

The creaking of the bed weren't the only sounds the neighbors heard that night.


	14. I Hear Demons

Chapter 14: I Hear Demons

* * *

Zack Hollis is nineteen years old, his life was fairly normal until about five months ago, when he started to hear the inner thoughts of demons as clear as day. At first he thought he was going crazy so he tried therapy. Zack told his psychiatrist that he heard voices. Sometimes they talked about Hell, it's fiery depths and the five burning corners. Sometimes he heard their plans of how to destroy the world. To wipe out the races and to make sure every single human suffered a slow and painful death.

Zack's psychiatrist thought he was suffering from depression and delusions so he prescribed him some medications. Zack thought it would help, he thought that finally these voices would stop. But they didn't, he took the medications and they only got worse. Soon after that he tried to kill himself. He overdosed on depressants and downed two bottles of wine. He passed out in his bathroom and woke up later in the emergency room. The doctors, afraid that he was going to try suicide again, threw him in the psych ward.

Zack spent two months there crawling the walls and slamming his fists into the floor. The demons were still ringing in his head. He had to be restrained several times.

He started to have dreams about black smoke traveling through the air and jamming itself down people's throats. Then their eyes would turn black and they would turn into monsters. Zack watched as the possessed slit throats, stabbed knives through hearts and snapped necks. He woke up screaming every time.

Zack was put on several different kinds of meds. It never helped and he started to realize that maybe these thoughts weren't just in his mind, that they were real.

All was confirmed one night after lights went out and darkness embraced the room. Zack's roommate grabbed his throat in his sleep. His name was Ronnie and he was seventy years old. He was schizophrenic and borderline bipolar. Zack gasped and looked up at the old man as he squeezed his neck. Ronnie's eyes were as black as night.

"So I hear you can read our minds kid" Ronnie said.

"W-What?" Zack stammered.

"You can hear demons can't ya? So what am I thinking right now?"

Zack didn't even have to try. He read the demon's mind unnaturally.

_'Death will come to you all once Lucifer walks free..'_

Demon Ronnie loosened his grip on Zack's neck "tell me what I'm thinking boy!" he shouted in his face.

Zack squeezed his eyes shut as a tear trailed down his cheek "death will come to you all once Lucifer walks free.."

Ronnie smirked "well, isn't that interesting", suddenly his head lurched back and he screamed as black smoke streamed out of his mouth. It hit the ceiling and escaped through a crack in the floor.

Zack gasped for air and coughed as he put his hand gingerly to his neck. Ronnie fell onto his back and started screaming bloody murder.

Zack was released from the hospital a week later. But only after he pretended that everything was okay. He had too. He wasn't going to find any answers if he was to be locked up in a mental ward.

He tried to go back home but his father refused to let him live there again. He wanted nothing to do with his 'sicko son' as he called Zack. He always had a strained relationship with his dad, ever since his mother upped and left them when he was fourteen. His father started drinking and became abusive. Zack moved out when he was eighteen to go live on campus at his school. Before the madness started, Zack was doing great in his classes and was studying to become a doctor.

But once the voices hit, Zack lost all his self control. His episodes at the dorm got him kicked out. His father did let him come back home for a little bit but after Zack attempted suicide and was put in the hospital, that was it. He gave up on his son.

So now Zack had nowhere to go. He had no friends, he didn't have a girlfriend, his mother was god knows where and his older sister, whom he barely spoke to, lived somewhere in Europe. He didn't even know where.

So he took his savings and hit the road. His car was for shit so he hitchhiked out of state. Zack noticed that the voices were fading from time to time. There were periods of space where he didn't hear anything at all. At first he thought it was stopping but then he figured out that the further away from demons he was, the quieter it became. That was until Zack ended up at a bus station in Indiana. He was sleeping on one of the benches. And it was then he learned the terrible truth about why this was happening to him and why the planet seemed to be infested with more and more demons walking among us.

_"The Devil's Gate opening was just the beginning.."_

_"The 66 seals will be opened and Lucifer will finally be free"_

_"He will turn this planet into his playground"_

_"We have to serve Lilith until that happens but what about the boy? He can hear our thoughts, why haven't we killed him yet?"_

_"Because he serves a purpose"_

_"What kind of purpose? He's a threat to us, he must die"_

_"No he cannot, he's been chosen by Lucifer, we can bring him to our side and he'll help us reign hell on this miserable world"_

_"What makes you think that?"_

_"He's not like the Winchester boy, he's not a hunter and he doesn't have the power to exorcise us…we'll make him come to our side and if he still refuses, and I'm sure with Lucifer's blessing we will kill him"_

_"No harm, no foul"_

_"Exactly"_

_"What of Sam and Dean Winchester? The boy is to close to them"_

_"Let him seek them out, it will work in our favor in the end"_

_"How's that?"_

_"Because our Lord says so"_

---------------

The digits on the clock read fifteen past nine in the morning. Sam's eyes opened and he turned his head slightly to see Dean sleeping next to him, naked. He smiled and rolled onto his side and stared at his brother.

After their love making session last night, they pressed their sweaty bodies together and fell asleep. Sam didn't have any dreams or none that he could recall but it was a restful sleep. And maybe that was because things were finally right between he and Dean again. Yes Dean did have sex with Anna but he was convinced now that Dean truly regretted it and he knew how much he hurt Sam. Sam loved Dean too much to let him slip away. He needed him as more than a friend and a brother.

Sam smirked as he thought that if Dean heard him say this that he would never hear the end of it. He'd probably call Sam an emo teddy bear. Maybe even a pussy. But Sam didn't care, he knew Dean felt the same way. And that made it even more powerful.

Sam gently stroked Dean's cheek with his thumb. He mumbled something and slowly his hazel eyes opened. Sam smiled softly at him "morning" he whispered.

Dean looked at Sam for a moment and then returned the smile "Hey" he said.

"Sleep well?"

Dean propped himself up on his elbow "yeah, pretty good, you?"

"Like a baby".

Dean rolled his eyes "you're such an emo teddy bear".

Sam raised his eyebrows and laughed at the irony "I was just thinking that you would call me something like that".

Dean chuckled "oh yeah? Well great minds think alike right?".

"I guess so".

Dean slid off the bed and Sam took in his naked form. His bare back and firm ass, it was enough to make Sam hard again. He glanced down at the current boner he was having. Dean picked up his boxers and pulled them on ruining Sam's view for now. He then put on his shirt.

Sam sat up "hey Dean?"

"Yeah?"

"Last night, it was a good thing right?"

Dean turned back to him "Of course it was" He sat down on the bed in front of Sam "you finally forgave me and I'm going to prove to you that you can still trust me" He took his hand and squeezed it "I won't hurt you again Sammy".

Sam reached up to touch Dean's face "I believe you".

Dean lowered his eyes to Sam's upward cock "you uh, might want to calm your downstairs brain there a little bit".

Sam flushed "I'll get dressed".

Dean grinned as he watched him quickly gather up his clothes and change. For the first time in weeks, he felt good again. He had his Sammy back and whatever battle was coming up in the future, they were going to face it together, head on.

After they were both fully clothed and ready, Dean shrugged his coat on and grabbed his keys from off the dresser "I'm gonna go to the gas station across the street and grab a coffee, you want one?".

"Yeah, sure" Sam said as he buttoned up his flannel.

Dean nodded and just as he opened the door to leave, a young man with short dark hair and a stubble stared back at him. He was wearing a leather coat and tattered jeans.

Dean looked at him strangely "uh, can I help you?".

"Are you Dean Winchester?" the young man asked.

Dean blinked "who the hell are you?".

The man looked in at Sam and shifted his blue eyes back to Dean's "My name's Zack, I'm looking for Sam and Dean Winchester, that'd be you two wouldn't it?".

The brothers exchanged bewildered looks, Dean turned back to Zack "And how in the blue hell do you know who we are?".

"Because the demon said I'd find you here".

Sam quickly grabbed Ruby's knife and nudged Dean aside at the door. He held it out at Zack with a glare in his eyes "you better get your ass out of here if you know what's good for you".

Zack shot up his hands and took a step back "whoa wait a minute, I'm not a demon! I just hear them".

"You…hear them?" Dean asked slowly.

"Yes I can hear their thoughts, it's like voices in my head, I hear them as clearly as I'm talking to you now" He lowered his hands down "please, I need your help".

Sam and Dean looked at each other again. Sam lowered the knife "and why should we believe you?".

Zack took a breath "you're hunters right? So you have holy water or something on you? Give it to me, I'll prove I'm not a demon".

Sam moved forward and grabbed Zack's arm "no need for that" he said and then pressed his hand on the young man's forehead. Sam closed his eyes as Zack stumbled back.

Dean watched on in amazement. It was like an energy was feeding Sam and the look on Zack's face was scary.

After a few moments, Sam let go of Zack and looked at Dean "he's not a demon" he said.

"What in the shit was that?" Dean demanded.

Zack gaped up at Sam "The hell you do to me?".

Sam ignored the look on Dean's face and kept his attention on Zack "I didn't do anything to you, now you said you need our help?".

"I…yes, I do, something bad is happening"

Sam stepped aside and let Zack come in. Dean was still awe struck at what just happened with Sam but Zack looked really freaked so he figured he had to wait until later to grill his brother about what he just did to the kid.

Sam crossed his arms over his chest "what's happening?"

Zack rung his hands together "The demons, they're all talking about how this demon Lilith is trying to break open the 66 seals so that Lucifer can walk free on the planet but that's freakin insane right? I mean Lucifer! He's supposed to be the devil! And then they're saying that I was chosen by him to hear the demons' thoughts and they're all going to kill me if I don't go to their side and so I wake up this morning in a bus station across town and then wam!" He slapped his fist into the palm of his hand "the ticket salesperson of all people comes to me with his black eyes and tells me that you two were staying here at the motel and that's how I found you".

Zack started to pace back and forth "I mean, why the fuck is this happening to me?! My life has been ruined because of it, I freakin hitchhiked across three states and now I have demons on my ass because I'm supposed to be some chosen one that can hear their thoughts?".

Sam took a hold of Zack's arm "alright just calm down okay? You obviously were brought here for a reason and we can help you, you just need to chill out".

"How can you help me? Can you make the voices stop? Can you make me normal again?"

Dean really wished Sam hadn't said that they could help this kid because he had no idea what was going on here. This was almost like with Anna, except she was hearing angels instead of demons.

"Zack, how long have you been tuned into demon radio?" Dean asked.

Zack looked at Dean like he had horns coming out of his nose "…huh?".

He sighed "I mean, how long have you been hearing demon's thoughts?".

"Um it started like five months ago".

Sam stepped in "have you heard anything else? Like what seals are next to be opened?"

Zack thought for a long moment, he then shifted his eyes to Dean "I've heard about you".

Dean frowned "about me?".

"You were in hell, they talk about what you did down there".

Sam bit his lip as he looked at Dean, who said nothing in response. But the look on his face said it all. He was remembering what he did in the pit again.

Sam quickly changed the subject "alright but that's it? Nothing else?".

Zack shrugged "no".

Suddenly the windows to the motel room shattered. Glass flew everywhere and Sam and Dean shielded themselves. Zack started to scream and he dropped onto his knees.

"She's here! She's coming!" He grabbed his head.

The door kicked in and crashed to the floor. In the doorway was a girl who looked around eleven or twelve years old. Sam's eyes widened when he saw her and he knew that very instant that it was Lilith.

The girl smiled and raised her hand, Sam and Dean went flying back into the wall. Zack was still screaming.

Lilith came into the room followed by two big men, she smiled at the brothers "Sam and Dean, so happy to see you again!" she said excitedly.

The two men grabbed Zack and dragged him out of the room. "No!" Sam yelled and tried to get down from off the wall but it was useless, he was pinned.

Lilith looked at the knife on the floor which Sam dropped when he was thrown back by her force.

"I'll be taking this" she said and picked it up. She looked at them "sorry to barge in uninvited but I just needed the boy, my boss has big plans for him".

With that, Lilith left the room and it wasn't until she was long gone that her hold on Dean and Sam was broken.


	15. Freaks

Chapter 15: Freaks

* * *

At least ten minutes had passed since Lilith took Zack. And it wasn't until then that Sam or Dean could get off the damn wall. Sam raced to the doorway and looked outside, the parking lot was empty. He muttered a curse under his breath, why couldn't he use his ability against Lilith when she was here? Was Ruby right? Were his powers really getting weaker?

Dean angrily kicked aside a few shards of glass with his boot "what were you expecting Sam? That'd she still be out there?"

Sam turned around and glared at Dean but he didn't say anything. He walked over to the bed and started to shove his belongings in his duffel bag "come on, we have to go and find Zack".

"And how do you expect us to do that?"

"I don't know Dean but we can't just stand here! Who the hell knows what Lilith is going to do to him if we don't".

Dean took a breath, Sam was right about that. Lilith was one sadistic bitch and she needed to be stopped. And Dean would like to be the one to kill the little wench.

He pulled his keys from his pocket and went out to the Impala with Sam. As he stuck the key into the lock Sam suddenly stopped and looked at something behind Dean. He frowned and turned around, only to see Castiel. The angel stood there in his tie and trench coat and looked at the brothers with his beady eyes.

"Cas" Dean said "what are you doing here?".

Castiel shifted his gaze between Sam and Dean "I'm here to stop you from saving Zack Hollis".

Sam blinked "excuse me?"

"The boy is connected to the demons and he needs to die".

Dean shook his head in disbelief "are you serious? What the hell is with you angels? You're supposed to help people but all you want to do is kill the ones that need it the most!".

Castiel sighed and lowered his eyes, almost in shame "look Dean, this is not my choice, I was sent to stop you".

"Oh really, and let me guess, by God? And correct me if I'm wrong but I recall you saying that God's orders to you was to follow whatever I decided, well guess what? Zack Hollis didn't ask for this, just like my brother didn't ask for the powers he has! So were going to go help him because that's what we do and if you really want to stop me, you're going to have to kill me".

Sam was stunned as he watched Dean stare down Castiel. And for Dean, it felt so damn good to finally stand up to Castiel. He was sick of being jerked around by these angels. It was his turn to take charge.

Castiel smirked and then he actually started to smile…"56th Avenue" he said.

"What?" Sam asked.

"That's where Lilith took Zack, 56th Avenue" Castiel paused and took a step back "I'm giving you one hour to save him or else I will have to step in and fix it myself".

With a black flicker, Castiel vanished.

Dean looked at Sam "seriously?".

Sam yanked open the passenger side door "come on let's go".

They both got into the car and Dean roared the Impala to life.

The clock was ticking.

--------------

The basement was cold and smelled like old man's piss. Zack sat in the middle of the room, tied to a metal chair with black cord. His hands were bound behind him and he had a gag in his mouth. Lilith stood in front of him still inhabiting the body of the young girl. The two big men that helped her abduct Zack were a few feet behind her. They were both built like jacked up pro wrestlers.

Zack looked at Lilith with fear in his blue eyes. There were cuts on his face and blood on his lip. Signs of the beating that he had already suffered at Lilith's command.

She leaned forward and gently touched his cheek "You know Zack, you should really stop fighting it, you could hold a special purpose in this war" She trailed her finger down to his busted lip "You could help me break the seals I have left to open and that's because you've been picked my sweet boy".

Zack jerked his face away from Lilith's hand and mumbled something underneath the gag.

Lilith tilted her head to the side "What's that? I couldn't make it out" She tugged the gag out of his mouth,

Zack licked his lips "I said…" He hocked one up and spit a luggie right in Lilith's face "screw you bitch".

Lilith closed her eyes and slowly wiped the spit off her cheek. Her two big demons angrily hovered over Zack but she raised her hand indicating that she wanted them to step back, and so they did. Lilith then grabbed Zack by the neck, her eyes turned white and she forced his mouth open. She stuck her fingers inside and jammed them into his throat. Zack gurgled and his body convulsed. Blood came out and dripped right off his chin. Lilith decided to communicate with Zack through her sick mind.

_'I could pull out your lungs right now boy and feed them back to you'_

She pulled out her hand and Zack coughed out strips of saliva. Lilith squeezed his neck and he gasped for air.

_'But I'm not going to do that because I want to play a game'_

She released him and Zack felt like his chest was about to explode. He sucked in gaps of air and tears streamed down his red cheeks. He looked up at Lilith "what…what game?" he moaned.

Lilith grinned "I want to see how many of your ribs my friends here can break until you beg for us to stop".

"No please…"

"Begging already? Well that's no fun"

Zack began to sob "why are you doing this to me? I can't help you in any battle, I'm nobody…I don't deserve this…oh god.."

'_No use in pleading to god sweetie, he wants you dead too'_

"…what?" Zack mumbled and looked at Lilith through glassy eyes. Again, he heard her thoughts just as clearly as if she were speaking to him now.

"That's right, praying won't do you any good, God doesn't want your gutter soul".

Zack's body was broken, he didn't have much fight left in him. Lilith stepped aside as the two men approached Zack. One of them grabbed the back of his head and yanked it sideways. The other drove his fist in Zack's ribcage and a bone cracked like kindling. Zack screamed. Lilith took out Ruby's knife and pressed the blade into his neck. She started to cut.

No horrible dream that Zack ever experienced could compare to this. He saw many necks snap, many throats slit and many hearts stop but this was reality. And as Lilith made an incision near his throat, there was only one thing Zack could do to cease the torture.

"Okay!" He yelled desperately "I'll do anything you want me too! Please just stop!".

Lilith looked at her demons and smiled. They stepped back and Zack hung his head down breathing heavily. He could feel his cracked rib scraping against his insides as he took a breath. Fresh blood dripped down and soaked the collar of his shirt. Lilith leaned down and licked some of it off.

"Good boy" she whispered into his ear when she was done.

----------------

Sam and Dean turned onto 56th Avenue and drove up and down the road. There were abandoned buildings on both sides and the street was deserted except for a group of people standing at the corner.

"How are we supposed to know which building he's in?" Sam asked as he looked out the window.

"Well why don't you use your psychic powers? You apparently can do more things than you what told me, and oh wait, that's just another thing you lied to me about!".

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"You know what I'm talking about, that thing you did to Zack back at the motel, what the crap was that?"

Sam glared at him "We don't have time for this Dean, we have exactly forty five minutes until Castiel steps in and kills an innocent man".

Dean sighed "okay okay" He pulled the car over to the curb "but we have to find what building he's in".

"I don't think that's going to be a problem"

"Huh?"

Sam pointed, Dean looked out and saw that crowd of people now standing outside the very last building on the street and they were all glaring straight back at Sam and Dean.

Dean seethed and pushed the Impala into drive, he hit the gas and headed right for them. He drove up onto the sidewalk and the tires squealed as he aimed for the demons. They all scattered as Dean swerved onto the building's lot. Sam watched agape as the demons dove onto the Impala the moment he stopped.

"Oh hell no, they are not jumping on my car!"

Dean then switched the vehicle into reverse and backed out, some of the possessed rolled off and hit the pavement.

"Freaks!"

This was it, desperate times called for desperate measures.. Sam had no choice. He pushed open the door and got out.

"Sam!" Dean called after him.

The demons huddled together and looked at Sam warily. He held out his hand and an invisible force pulled the demons apart. He gritted his teeth and pushed. Sam's eyes turned dark and blood trickled from his nose. The possessed all dropped to their knees and vomited the black smoke out of their throats.

The demon was sucked out of them and sent back down into the Pit. Sam dropped his hand and leaned against the Impala. He took a deep breath and looked at the six people that he just saved.

Three of them laid motionless on the ground, the other three got up slowly and looked completely bewildered as to what just happened. Dean stepped out of the car and looked at his brother horrified.

Sam wiped the blood from his nose and met Dean's eye "I'm sorry Dean, I had too" he said.

The two double doors to the building suddenly busted open and Zack came stumbling out. He was bleeding from his mouth and his shirt was covered in blood. He held his arm at his side and stopped when he saw Sam and Dean.

"Zack!" Sam cried and hurried toward him.

"Sam wait.." Dean said but Sam was already at Zack's side.

"Christ, what did she do to you?"

Zack gave the brothers a blank look. Dean puzzled, slowly put his hand on his shoulder.

"You okay man?"

Zack pulled away from Dean and reached into the back pocket of his jeans. He whipped out a 19 9mm silver Glock and pointed it at the brothers.

"Whoa!" Dean yelled and took a few strides back "what the hell are you doing?".

"I have too Dean, she told me she'll kill my family if I don't".

Sam raised his hand "Zack please, put down the gun"

Zack shook his head "no I can't, I have to kill Dean"

"I swear to god if you pull that trigger I will end you" Sam threatened.

Zack gave him a look "I'd like to see you try" he said.

He then aimed the gun at Dean and fired.


	16. Touched By An Angel

Chapter 16: Touched By An Angel

* * *

The bullet hit Dean in the chest and he grunted on impact. He collapsed onto the ground and clutched his chest. Sam's eyes widened and he rushed to Dean's side.

"No…Dean.." He muttered and put his hands on Dean's shoulders. Dean looked up at his Sammy with fear in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. Just a short choking sound.

Zack lowered the gun and looked stunned, he took a few steps back as his hands started to shake.

Sam looked at Zack and became enraged. A fire lit inside of him and with a cry, he lunged at Zack with his arms outstretched. He tackled him to the ground and wrestled the gun from his hand. At Sam's weight sitting on top of him Zack's face winced as his cracked rib dug into his side.

"You son of a bitch!" Sam yelled.

He cocked the gun and got up. He pointed it at Zack's head.

"Don't'.." he pleaded.

Sam shot Zack in the face, killing him. He then dropped the gun and hurried back to Dean. Blood was coming out of the bullet hole in his chest. Tears formed in Sam's eyes and streamed down his cheeks. He shook as he held his brother's trembling body in his arms.

He couldn't lose Dean again. Not after the pain and suffering he went through those four months without him. If Dean died Sam could not go on living. Dean was his heart and soul. He was his breath of air and his beating heart. He loved him with every fiber of his being.

"Someone call 911!" Sam screamed, his voice full of emotion. The three surviving people were now standing around him. One of them pulled out their cell phone and started to dial.

Dean struggled to say a word, he raised his hand slowly, reaching for Sam's face.

"S..Sa..Sam.." he moaned.

Sam grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers together "I'm right here Dean…it's okay, everything is going to be alright you'll see…"

"No" Dean mumbled and his eyes went blank. He took his final breath and died.

Sam's dark pupils searched Dean's empty stare. "No..n-n-n-no" He shook Dean desperately "Dean please! You can't leave me!" Sam embraced his lifeless body "…DEAN!".

Sam cried for several long and agonizing moments. The man that called 911 tried to inform Sam that he did so but Sam didn't hear him. He couldn't hear anything except the pounding of his heart. He finally released Dean and dug his fingers into the dirt.

These were the last moments of Sam Winchester's life. He knew he could never move on without Dean. He remembered that night months ago when he was sitting in the Impala with a gun barrel pointed to his temple. When Sam was finally forced to accept the fact that Dean was dead, he wanted to die. As a steady finger balanced on the trigger Sam closed his eyes and waited to pull it. But he never did, because of the promise he made to Dean. That he would remember what his older brother taught him and to keep fighting and saving people.

None of that mattered now, Sam stared at Dean's body as the sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance.

Suddenly a brilliant light flashed and it blinded everyone. Sam saw the three survivors blown back by the force. Sam, however, didn't budge an inch. He shielded his eyes to the glare and looked up to see a figure step out of that light.

Castiel.

The angel walked over to Dean and knelt down slowly beside him. Sam watched in stunned amazement as Castiel pressed his fingers on Dean's forehead.

Dean's eyes flew open and he gasped. Castiel placed his hand on his chest and a white light shot out from his fingers. The bullet hole closed and Dean was healed.

Castiel stood up and stared down at Dean. Sam scrambled over and quickly wrapped his arms around Dean and pulled him close. He felt solid, he felt real.

Dean looked at Sam mystified "What happened?" he asked.

Sam cupped his face in his hands "you were gone, I thought I lost you".

Sam quickly rose to his feet and faced Castiel, tears of happiness formed in his eyes and he extended his hands to the angel "Thank you, thank you so much, you'll never know how much this means to me".

Castiel stared back at Sam expressionless "I didn't do it for you Sam, it's not Dean's time yet and we need him, he's important to us".

He vanished then and Sam blinked a few times befuddled. He looked around and saw that they were back on the street in front of the abandoned building. Except the people were gone and so was Zack's body.

Dean got up and rubbed the back of his head "what the hell just happened to me?"

Sam turned around and hugged Dean and clung onto him for dear life. Dean raised his eyebrows and placed his hands on Sam's back.

"Sam, I have to breathe at some point you know"

Sam let go and clutched the front Dean's jacket "I'm sorry I just can't believe you're okay, you were dead only a few minutes ago, you don't remember any of that?"

Dean frowned "I remember…" His face changed as the realization hit "Yes, Zack had a gun and he took a shot at me, the last thing I saw was your face" He shifted his gaze and looked Sam in the eyes "Castiel, he brought me back".

Sam nodded, then with an absolute desperation he pulled Dean to him and kissed him passionately. Dean responded slowly to the kiss but desire overcame him and he returned the passion. He reached up and put his hands on Sam's warm neck.

____________

Later on Sam and Dean returned back to their motel. Sam closed the door behind them and helped Dean sit on the bed.

"You feel okay?" he asked.

Dean swatted Sam's hands away "stop it I'm fine".

Sam took off his coat and then sat down next to Dean. He gently rubbed his hand up and down his back.

"So let me get this straight" Dean started to say "Zack shot and killed me, then Castiel came walking out of this white light and healed me".

"Yeah, that's the gist of it" Sam replied.

"But why?" Dean demanded "why do I keep getting saved like this while there are poor suckers much more deserving than me dying every day? Why doesn't God intervene and save them? Can't I die in peace?".

Sam stopped rubbing his back and looked at Dean slack jawed "can't you die in peace? Are you serious? Do you have any idea what it did to me?" He stood up and faced Dean angrily "I had to hold you as you died Dean! I watched the light go out in your eyes, I heard my heart shatter into a thousand pieces at the thought of living life without you again and I can't.." Sam shook his head "I can't do it again Dean…if you die…I have to die".

Dean reached for Sam's arm "Come on, don't talk like that".

Sam grabbed Dean's hands startling him "Then stop talking like you don't deserve to live!" He encircled his arms around him "what if I died Dean? What would you do? Can you imagine your life without me?"

Dean leaned into Sam slightly "No I can't" he said and slid his hands gently up Sam's arms "I don't think I could live without you either Sammy".

"Then it's settled, I love you"

Sam brushed his lips over Dean's and started to kiss him. Dean pushed him back into the wall as the kiss got more intense and rough. Soon they were both stripped down to their jockey shorts and throwing themselves on the bed.

-------------

The brothers laid together naked and underneath the covers. Sam was on his side with Dean behind him. Dean's arms were around Sam's muscular torso and he rested his chin on his bare shoulder.

"I feel like I should be smoking a cigarette" Sam joked.

Dean chuckled "Yeah me too".

Sam let out a soft breath and nuzzled his face into the pillow. Dean bit his bottom lip as he drew circles on Sam's back.

"What happened to Zack?"

Sam opened his eyes at the sudden question. He stared at the wall and cringed at the mention of Zack's name. He remembered the rage he felt when he attacked him. The wild look in his eyes as he shot Zack to death.

"He's dead" he said.

"How'd he die?" Dean asked but he had a feeling he already knew the answer to the question.

Sam rolled onto his back so he could look Dean in the eye "I'm not going to lie to you Dean, I killed him".

"Sam.."

"He shot you and I don't care what you're going to say, I would do anything for you and I mean anything, Zack brought it on himself and he got what he deserved".

Dean didn't answer right away, maybe Sam was right but it was kind of scaring him that Sam seemed to show no remorse for killing another human being. But Dean knew if it were the other way around, he would do the same thing.

He laid his head down on the pillow. He and Sam faced each other and Dean ran his fingers through Sam's shaggy hair. His eyes were growing heavy with sleep. Sam leaned in and kissed Dean's forehead softly.

It was moments like this that he wished could last forever. The final thought Dean had before falling asleep.


End file.
